Veterinary Practitioners' Act 2023

Interpretation:

In this a Act, unless the context otherwise requires-

“animal” includes domestic animals, wild animals, aquatic animals, laboratory animals, poultry species, wild birds, bees, insects, fish and silk worms;
“animal husbandry” means livestock management and animal care practices undertaken to promote animal welfare, improve productivity and farm profits;
“Chief Executive Officer” means a person appointed under section 38;
“continuous professional development” means an approved training required of a veterinary practitioner as the Council may determine, for purposes of ensuring that a veterinary practitioner keeps updated with the new and emerging veterinary technical trends in theory and practice;
“Council” means the Uganda Veterinary Council established by section 27;
“currency point” has the value assigned to it in Schedule 1 to this Act;
“direct supervision” means the supervision of a person by a responsible veterinary surgeon who is physically present in the veterinary practice establishment;
“general supervision” means the supervision of a person by a responsible veterinary surgeon who is readily available to communicate with that person;
“internship” means a prescribed period of supervised practical training that a veterinary student obtains after completing formal education, to the time of satisfying the supervisor that the practitioner is competent, in accordance with the provisions of this Act;

“licence” means a licence issued under section 17;
“licensee” means a person licensed to practice veterinary medicine under section 17;
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for veterinary services;
“Ministry” means the Ministry responsible for veterinary services;
“person” includes an individual, firm, company, association, partnership or body of persons, whether incorporated or not;
“private veterinary practice’’ means the engagement in veterinary practice by a veterinary practitioner for hire, gain, fee, compensation or reward received, promised, offered, expected or accepted, directly or indirectly, by or from the person requesting or receiving the veterinary services;
“public veterinary practice” means engagement in veterinary practice by a veterinary practitioner who is a veterinary officer or para-professional holding office in the public service or any other Government body;
“register” “means a register of veterinary practitioners and veterinary practice establishments kept and maintained by the Council under section 61 of this Act; “veterinary inspector” means a person appointed by the Council under section 43 of this Act;

“veterinary medicine” means any curative or preventive substance, formulated medicament, or mixture of substances, whether proprietary or in the form of a preparation effective in animals, which is used, or is manufactured, sold or represented as suitable for use, in—
(a) the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of disease or abnormal physical or mental state or the symptoms of a disease or abnormal physical or mental state in an animal;
(b) restoring, correcting or modifying any physical, mental or organic function in an animal; or
(c) controlling internal or external pests and parasites and includes insecticides, vaccines, hormones, alternative medicines, antiseptics, disinfectants, surgical, nutrients and biological products;
“veterinary officer” means a veterinary practitioner who holds office in the public service or any other Government body;
“veterinary para-professional” means a veterinary practitioner who is registered to practice veterinary medicine under the direct or general supervision of a veterinary surgeon;
“veterinary practice” means—
(a) inspection of foods of animal origin for purposes of food safety;
(b) provision of animal welfare services;
(c) provision of forensic evidence related to animals;
(d) training, research, advise, consultancy services related to animals;
(e) provision of ethno veterinary medicine, complimentary medicine and integrative therapies
to animals;
(f) to diagnose, treat, correct, change, relieve or prevent an animal disease or condition, deformity, defect, injury or other physical or mental conditions through—
(i) the prescription, administration or application of drugs, medicines, biological, apparatus, anesthetic or other therapeutic or diagnostic substances or techniques;
(ii) the use of any manual or mechanical procedure for hoof care, dental care, artificial
insemination or other breeding services, testing for pregnancy or correcting sterility or
infertility; and
(iii) rendering advice or making recommendation with regard to the procedures referred to in
paragraphs (a) to (f); and
(g) any other related services as prescribed by the Council.
“veterinary practice establishment” includes premises, structure, veterinary laboratory, zoo, ambulatory service facility, animal check point, holding ground, quarantine station, wildlife breeding sanctuary, wildlife ranch and any other specialised establishment where veterinary practice is conducted;
“veterinary practitioner” means a veterinary surgeon, veterinary specialist or veterinary para-professional registered in accordance with this Act;
“veterinary public health” means the application of veterinary science and technology to protect and improve the physical, mental and social well-being of humans;
“veterinary service” means services offered by a veterinary practitioner;
“veterinary specialist” means a veterinary practitioner registered by the Council in accordance with section 6;
“veterinary surgeon” means a person trained in veterinary medicine at degree level and who is engaged in veterinary practice, and is registered in accordance with this Act.