Letter on lack of veterinary surgeons

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