Udupi/Dakshina Kannada: Pashusanjeevini to provide emergency veterinary care for cattle

In a bid to address the deteriorating health of cattle and the lack of accessible veterinary care, a new helpline has been established.

Upon calling the helpline with the number 1962, a dedicated vehicle staffed with a doctor and assistants will be dispatched to the caller’s doorstep to provide immediate treatment, free of charge. This crucial service is expected to start soon.

The initiative comes as a response to the prevailing shortage of personnel in the animal husbandry and veterinary department. Concerns about inadequate service in various regions prompted the establishment of the helpline. When urgent assistance is needed, the helpline will reroute the call to the nearest taluk center, ensuring a swift response.

Each dispatched vehicle is equipped with a small-scale surgical unit, obstetric and surgical equipment kits, post-mortem equipment, washbasins, and an oxygen system. A team comprising one doctor, assistant, and driver forms the core of the response unit.

The state has sanctioned a total of 290 such vehicles, with each taluk receiving one and an additional vehicle allocated to the district headquarters hospital. Currently, the district of Udupi has received 10 and DK 18 of the allocated vehicles.

Funding for the initiative is a joint effort between the Central Government (60%) and the State Government (40%). To manage the project, outsourcing has been awarded to Ejuspark International, a private company based in Mumbai. This company will handle the recruitment, training, and management of the staff for the veterinary care vehicles. Notably, retired doctors also have the opportunity to serve on a contract basis.

As part of the initiative’s rollout, Pashusanjeevini vehicles have already arrived in the Udupi district, each equipped with a doctor. However, some appointments for medical officers are pending in certain areas of the district, including Mulki, Ullala, Belthangadi, Kadaba, and Puttur taluks. Despite these pending appointments, the launch of the service is expected to occur within the next week. The new system promises a lifeline for farmers, ensuring timely and essential care for their cattle,” informed Dr. Arun Kumar / Dr. Shankar Shetty
Deputy Directors, Department of Animal Husbandry, D.K. and Udupi