Dear editor,
As a member of the facebook group ‘Maldivian Cataholics’, which aims to improve the living conditions of cats in Malé, both homeless and privately owned, I am trying to help as much as possible by being the group’s remote veterinary surgeon.
Via e-mail, facebook, telephone and Skype(video) am I trying to diagnose and prescribe and suggest treatments of individual cats presented to me. All this from my home in Denmark, as I am told,that there is no resident veterinary surgeon available in the Republic of Maldives, and therefore no alternative to my services.
This situation is not optimal and sometimes very frustrating for the cat owner as well as the person, who is trying to help a homeless cat and also for me.
I am therefore planning to establish an emergency veterinary clinic in Malé or perhaps on Hulhule near the quarantine department.
For that reason I will apply to be registered as a veterinary surgeon in the Republic of Maldives and obtain a licence to be allowed to import the necessary veterinary medicine.
A number of Danish veterinary surgeons have shown interest in supporting the project by spending working holidays in The Maldives and assist in such a clinic.
The aim of the emergency clinic is planned to treat sick and injured cats and to neuter as many as possible to reduce the now uncontrolled reproduction, which eventually will reduce the problem with unwanted cats.
The clinic will be a non profit enterprise based on sponsors and private means.
This leads to the cause of this letter:
I am sure that information of this project to the Maldivian public is very important. If I succeed to establish the planned clinic, Maldivians should be made aware that veterinary services now are available and that donations and sponsorships will be welcomed.
One owner of a cat I have treated remotely, stated – and I quote:
“The idea of having a pet in Maldives itself should not be encouraged, what good is it to have a pet, when we don’t have the necessary facilities to treat the pet if the necessity arises.”
My access to the Maldives is due to our two sons having lived there for a number of years, one was a diving instructor on various resorts for 12 years, and the other is a pilot and Flight Operation Manager at Maldivian Air Taxi. My wife and I have visited them several times and have very positive feelings about your country
I hope this letter will be met with some interest by you editors, and that Minivan will treat it accordingly and promote the plans of a veterinary clinic.
Sincerely yours
Søren Nielsen
Veterinary surgeon
[email protected]
All letters are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write a letter, please submit it to [email protected]
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I am so excited about this!! I have lived on Hulemale for 2 years. I hope you have the clinic on my island but honestly anywhere in this country would be great. So many people have pets that they don't know how to properly care for. A vet clinic would not only do wonders to help inform the community about proper pet care. I for one love cats but because have not kept one in my home because there are no vets.
A good example of how bad we need a vet... I have a hamster that is losing hair and might have an eye infection. I really don't know what to do and how to care for him. I have looked up online what it could be but really need a vet to check him out.
amayyai..get few qualified doctors for the Maldivians first.....
I also don't keep pets because we don't have a vet - and need one URGENTLY!!!
Not just for cats... see how many birds are being kept in captivity in Male' and imported illegaly!!!
I personally would prefer to improve the health conditions for us, human beings, before we bring in vets to take care of the pets a few Maldivians may have.
People are dying here due to lack of medical care. We recently went for months without a paediatrician to treat our kids at the main public hospital. But guess it would be nice atleast if our cats can get treatment.
To those who have responded to my plans of establishing a veterinary clinic, I can inform you that the planned clinic will have no influence on medical service to the human public, other than some diseases in cats and birds are transmissible to humans. An improvement of the health of stray cats and privately owned cats and birds may prevent humans from being exposed to bacterias, vira and parasites from cats and pet birds.
Others, like "doctors without boundaries", may solve the problem of lack of human doctors.
Søren Nielsen
Veterinary surgeon
I would like to see people change their attitudes towards animals in this country.
Cats are gentle and clean animals but cats and other animals are treated so badly in Maldives. Many of our children are scared of cats and so are grown up women. Animals are looked down upon as inferior souls. So much for respect for life forms.
I think it is a good idea to have a vet. Animals are very vulnerable in Maldives and needs a safety net and people who care. Our family loves cats
Dear Søren,
". . . I can inform you that the planned clinic will have no influence on medical service to the human public, other than some diseases in cats and birds are transmissible to humans."
I disagree.
While you may not have any direct influence on the medical services provided to the human beings, I argue that your plans to run the clinic on or even accept donations and sponsorships will have an indirect influence.
Maldives is a small country with a few resources. If this is to be divided between more parties, it is only obvious that each will get a smaller share.
I understand animals also shuld be cared for. But in Maldives, the congested nature of most islands and the lack of proper means to care for pets make keeping pets a costly affair. For this reason, few people have pets and even those who have them, may not necessarily be able to afford a vet's service every time their pet is sick.
I would suggest you do a bit of research before you set up a clinic to treat diseases and conditions of animals, if this is what you intend to do.
Kind regards,
Isotope.
i have cat around 8 months old and now he goes on to the roof of near by houses and comes back.but the stray cats around here are so much infected with skin diseases. its a sad sight to watch them lying around waiting for someone to care for them.there is this small kitten i have been feeding and havent shown proper growth, the cat is so ill with the same skin disease. i have wanted to put him to sleep,since no vet doc is available here to treat him.but thats something i cant do and i dont know which would be the best method for the cat.i am just eagerly waiting for ure arrival, now my cat shows skin rashes too...
Dear Isotope
Thank you for your input. I agree with you that it may have an indirect detrimental influence on the human, medical service in The Maldives to run a veterinary clinic based on donations or sponsorships from LOCAL sources.
This was not my intention however, as I have tried to raise funds outside The Maldives from many different sources in Denmark, EU and Australia, and the planned veterinary clinic I have planned is to be a "non-profit" clinic, which means that my services would be free and the medicine administered to treat sick animals by me also will be at no cost to the owner.
I am a retired vet after 54 years of mixed practice and do not have to generate an income from a clinic in The Maldives, as I make my livung having a small pension and still have an income by teaching veterinary anaesthesia at seminars and workshops in many countries. I also am proofreading for veterinary periodicals, Ph.D. theses and major special papers for veterinary students. I am also the harbourmaster in our local yacht harbour. Nevertheless I can spare time to run a veterinary clinic i The Maldives and attract other Danish vets to help manning the clinic, when I am occupied otherwise.
All my plans may now have to be aborted, as I have from the newspaper Haveeru read following information:
.......................................
From Haveeru:
A veterinarian’s services begin in Male
________________________________________
| DATE: 2010-12-08
MALE, December 8 (HNS) – A veterinarian has been brought to Male’ to treat pets.
According to an Agricultural Ministry official, a vet was brought in because of the large number of pets in Maldives. The official also said that the vet will be able to diagnose diseases, give treatments, and provide valuable technical information. The official noted that as Maldives is a member of The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), it is obligatory for a veterinarian to be present in Maldives.
“All types of living animals can now be treated. However we still don't have medicines specific for animal diseases. So we are now attempting to introduce a clinic to provide such medications,” the official said.
The ministry said that the vet who is working under a contract, will provide services in Male’ and other atolls.
They also said that while many different types of animals have been adopted as pets in Maldives, no serious diseases have been recorded yet. After the spreading of Bird Flu, importing of birds were banned except for one-day old chicks
________________________________________
These are the words! Ans as I have no intention of competing with a locally employed vet, I have decided to halt my plans and await further development in the matter. What is your opinion?
Kind regards
Søren Nielsen
Soren
It was a very good idea of yours to set up a vet clinic here.
Pet owners have no where to go when their pets fall ill.
I have had three cats die on me years ago, because of some mysterious disease.
Why don't you get in touch with Agriculture ministry and propose your plan and work with them? I am sure they would welcome it.
Dear Leena
Thank you for your suggestion of approaching the Ministry of Agriculture. It seems however to be difficult to get in touch with some Maldivian authorities, as they do not answer my mails. According to the news in Haveeru a veterinary service is already imolemented, so I must advice you to contact the Ministry of Agriculture to inform you how your cats can be serviced by this new veterinary service. I have no intention to compete with a clinic - private or established and perhaps payed by the Maldivian Government.
I will now contact the Ministry of Agriculture and tell them about my plans. Until I get some information from the ministry, I will put my plans on a hold, but I am still able to act as a "remote" veterinary surgeon by e-mail: [email protected] or skype.
Sincerely yours
Søren Nielsen
Veterinary surgeon
Denmark
Dear Søren
Vetrinary services is very much needed in this country. Please do not be discouraged by those who do not understand this. Some people say that there are no proper health facilities for humans so why give importance for animals. I believe that those people are just not aware of the happiness and delight a pet brings to your life. Even research has proven that having a pet is beneficial for the development of children, and even for the well being of people suffering from long term illnesses and the elderly.
Also, how long must pet owners wait for the health facilities for humans to be improved before it will be acceptable to have a doctor for animals? Has it not been long enough now?
I have also had pets die because there was nowhere I can get any medical assistance for them. Some people even throw away pets that are dependent on them because they get sick, which is very cruel. So I really believe that any veterinary service at any level will be much appreciated by those who love animals.
thanks for the good intentions you have sir,
right now i am out of the country, but hopefully after i returning back to maldives at 20th of this month, i will try to contact our ministry and will let them know about your volunteery works, and by than hopefully there would be a minister in the post, right now the minister is dismissed due to some political clash between opposition and the ruling party,
and hopefully your program will be on a correct path and we will help you.
As a person from atolls i know how difficult it is to keep animals, we tried keeping goats, cows,cock and hens, in our island and in neighbouring uninhibited islands.
Thanks very much sir, and wish you all the best.
But Mr. Nielsen, you should still come! We need more than just one vet in the country, no? I mean it won't be seen as competition since we have so many pets and one vet simply cannot do the job. I hope rethink about it. Thanks : )
Its 2012 now and there still isn't a pet clinic that i knw of in maldives so please reconsider your decision not to come Mr. Nielsen...
Dear Doc.Nielsen,
it would be great if you were in Maldives right now: my cat has 2days of vomit and diarrea, now he stopped eating and drinking since morning. When i called to the Male Airport veterinary (the only one that exsist as I know) he said that he is not allowed to travel (as I live not in Male island) so he cant visit my cat! Asking also an advise about what to do with my pet, he said to give him milk... but he has vomit, how can i give milk? Ive talk with some vet friends in EU and they told me absolutely no milk.
I agree that our country doesnt have a good health care for human being, but animals are important too and is true that gives love and happiness. But we need a good veterinary, somebody who can really cure and prevent.
Ive saw any kind of brutality against animals in my island, people without heart imho cos animals are creatures of this world. Even if i report those cruelty to authority, they dont care, so at least a help to those who love pet would be great.
Hope you will reconsider to come again.