ANIMAL SURGERY IS BACK IN SOMALILAND
BY: DR ABDIDEEQ MOHAMED YUSUF
ISTVS Junior Tutor In clinics and Therapeutics
Sheikh, Somaliland
Somaliland has approximately 19 Million of livestock (camel, cattle, sheep and goat), and livestock contribute about 60 % GDP of the country. Therefore livestock is main source of income for Somaliland people. Unfortunately, the collapse of farmer Somali government resulted destruction veterinary service and depletion of skilled veterinarians and veterinary surgeon.
Introduction of ISTVS, a regional veterinary institution enhanced livestock veterinary services in Somaliland by providing well trained veterinary personnel throughout Somalia.
Recently, ISTVS clinic section performed several surgical operations including Rumenotomy, caesarean section, hernia repairing and castration to livestock especially on goats.
These kind of activities were absent in the country for nearly three decades but today ISTVS has skilled personal and materials needed to carry out these major surgeries.
Plastic bags and consumption of foreign materials is common problem among the livestock in Somaliland and the most suitable treatment intervention is by removing plastic bags from the rumen (stomach) hence Rumenotomy (stomach surgery) is best option. Therefore, ISTVS can now save animal from the tragedy of plastic bags and foreign material in there stomach.
Previously, livestock were dying for dystocia (difficult of birth) because there were no skilled Veterinary surgeon who could help deliver animals through surgery luckily ISTVS has got a competent veterinarian who can perform such operations.
Despite the importance of these operations to the community, ISTVS students were learning and participated the operations.
Dr Abdideeq Mohamed Yusuf (one of the ISTVS-Makerere Graduate who recently joined back to ISTVS) was the lead surgeon of these operations.
Below are the pictures of the operations
Figure 1: closing the muscle layers with simple interrupted Suture pattern
Figure 2: Surgeon, patient and students after the operation
Figure 3: Animal after the operation
Figure 4: Plastic bags were removed from the rumen
