Socio-personal characteristics of Private Veterinary Practitioners (PVPs) in developing countries

A study in West Bengal State of India

Abstract

Veterinary services have been traditionally funded, managed and delivered by the public sector in developing countries. This public sector monopoly first came under a threat in the 1980s when many started questioning the desirability of the situation on economic and efficiency grounds in Africa as it became clear that the government agencies were unable to provide quality livestock health services (Anteneh 1984; de Haan and Nissen 1985). Throughout the wo rld , especiall y in developing countries, the livestock population has increased enormously, while the government budgets have not kept pace and the veterinary services have suffered with the main issue being inter ali a lack of funds and hence of a broad effective service (Carney 1998). Thus, the emphasis in recent years has been shifted over to decentralization, cost recovery, withdrawal from selected services and contracting, encouraging private veterinary practitioners (PVPs) for privatizing veterinary services