Origin and historical stages of the veterinary profession in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the first vocational training at the secondary level started in 1951 in Butembo (North Kivu), then in Sandoa (Lualaba), Loda (Bas-Uele) and Bolombo (Equateur). It was not until 1968 that the first Faculty of Veterinary Medicine opened its doors at the Official University of the Congo (UOC) in Lubumbashi, 207 years after the Lyon School. The second Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was opened at the Catholic University of Graben (UCG) in Butembo in 1989, 23 years after Lubumbashi. Two other Faculties will be created later in Kinshasa, more precisely at the National Pedagogical University (UPN) (2005) and at the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN) (2009). In the DRC, Veterinary Doctors are almost men (90.1%) against 9.9% of women. Most of them (87.4%) are trained in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Lubumbashi, while 6.4% of them are trained in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University Catholic of Graben, 5.1% to that of the National Pedagogical University and 1% to that of the University of Kinshasa. The density of Veterinary Doctors is only 3.10-5/Km2, with disparities according to the Provinces. With this very insignificant density, we should not really hope to properly develop a country with an agro-pastoral vocation like the DRC. 29 years after the creation of the Association of Veterinary Doctors of the DRC (AMVC), a dynamic from the Congress of the AMVC which was held in Kinshasa in September 2016, led to the creation of the National Order of Veterinary Doctors of the Democratic Republic of Congo by Law No. 18/029 of December 13, 2018 establishing, organizing and operating the National Order of Veterinary Doctors, which is working to revitalize the profession in the country. We therefore suggest that the Congolese government invest enough in the veterinary sector.

Keywords: History, Veterinary Profession, DRC.