This workshop was organized as a collaborative effort of the SLCVS, SLVA and the DAPH and was held at the Oak Ray Regency, Getambe, on 18th August 2017. There were well over 200 participants representing the Ministry of Rural Economy, Central and Provincial Departments of Animal Production and Health, FVMAS, SLCVS, SLVA and the animal industry.
The objectives of the workshop were, (i) to create awareness among all relevant stakeholders on the current and global trends of veterinary public health, role of veterinarians and veterinary public health service in optimizing “physical, mental and social well-being of the human society”, and the urgent need of establishing an institutional mechanism to implement and consolidate veterinary public health activities within the DAPH, and (ii) to seek stakeholder views on the draft proposal on “Establishing an institutional mechanism to implement veterinary public health activities within the DAPH network”. The workshop consisted of presentations on veterinary public health and food safety by Drs. Tikiri Wijayathilaka, Nimal Jayaweera, Ruwani Kalupahana, Eranda Rajapaksha and Palika Fernando (Sri Lanka) and Prof Nigel French (Massey University, New Zealand). These were followed by presentation of the draft proposal and a panel discussion to obtain views of the participants.