LAHORE: A delegation from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Regional Office in Bangkok, led by Senior Animal Health & Production Officer Dr. Scott Newman, visited the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) in Lahore to discuss training initiatives with Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Masood Rabbani. The discussions focused on enhancing the skills of wildlife and environment professionals in Pakistan to better address health risks at the intersection of human, animal, and ecosystem health.

According to University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, the meeting at UVAS was presided over by Prof. Dr. Masood Rabbani and aimed to identify priority competencies and institutional needs to strengthen the capacity of professionals in the field. The collaboration seeks to improve the training of wildlife veterinary field professionals and update the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) curriculum to align with international standards.

Dr. Scott Newman provided a detailed presentation on FAO's Frontline Training Program for Wildlife, Environment, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems (FTP-WEBE), which spans three to four months and aims to bolster the capacity of service field professionals. The program supports the implementation of Pakistan's One Health system and focuses on pandemic preparedness and response through a unified health approach, covering topics such as national biodiversity strategy and action plans.

The meeting was attended by senior faculty members from various departments of UVAS, including Principal Officer Ravi Campus Prof. Dr. Khalid Mehmood Anjum, Dr. Muhammad Qamar Shahid from the Department of Livestock Management, Dr. Rehan Ul Haq from the Department of Wildlife and Ecology, Dr. Fareeha Arooj from the Department of Environmental Sciences, Director Veterinary Academy Dr. Asif Awan, and Director Students Affairs Dr. Muhammad Oneeb.