The changes which have taken place in the last decades, in the modes of management of the farms and in the environment of the animals and which are increasingly intensive and therefore increasingly sensitive, There has been a growing demand for animal health management and individual veterinary care by breeders and livestock professionals, which existing public sector structures cannot meet.
To accompany these changes in terms of health care, the State has worked, since the 1980s, to encourage the private sector of veterinary medicine, surgery and pharmacy ,this is achieved through the establishment of a legislative framework necessary to promote the development of this sector.
To this end, the legal bases for the private practice of veterinary medicine, surgery and pharmacy have been drawn up and adopted.
This legislative framework, thus put in place, has allowed the growing development of the private veterinary sector and a gradual withdrawal of state veterinary services in terms of individual care.
Although initially the establishment of veterinarians in the private sector was slow between 1980 and 1985, it had to take a much faster pace thanks to the implementation of the “health mandate”.
The health mandate, as stipulated by law n°21-80 in its Article 2, is a special authorization granted to private veterinarians to practice in the particular field of legally contagious animal diseases. This mandate also gives the possibility to private veterinarians, who are equipped with it, to carry out, on behalf of the State, in areas previously delimited, programmes for the prophylaxis of legally contagious animal diseases for a fee paid by the State, fixed by joint decree.
The objectives of the health mandate are to:
- To encourage the establishment of veterinarians in the private sector;
- To provide breeders with close health care;
- To contribute to the effective control of contagious animal diseases (especially those of an epizootic nature);
- To ensure closer surveillance of the health status of livestock
- the law n°21-80 on private practice of veterinary medicine, surgery and pharmacy;
- decree n°2-82-541 of 15 March 1983 adopted for the purposes of law enforcement n°21-80 on private practice of veterinary medicine, surgery and pharmacy;
- Dahir containing Law n°1-93-230 Of 6 October on the National Order of Veterinarians.
- Dépôt de la Demande :
Veterinarians registered with the National Order of Veterinarians, authorized to practice private medicine, surgery and private veterinary pharmacy wishing to grant the health mandate, Must send their application to the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA) accompanied by the following documents:
- Handwritten request;
- Information sheet ;
- Copy of the registration decision to the National Order of Veterinarians;
- Certified copy of the original of the diploma with the authorization of the national veterinary authority;
- A photocopy of the national identity card;
- A photo.
- Case study :
The dossier relating to the application for the granting of the health warrant is examined by the relevant ONSSA departments. The incomplete file will be returned to the interested party for satisfaction.
For files with all required documents, the following is prepared:
- A presentation note signed by the Director General of ONSSA;
- Of a draft order granting the health warrant to the person concerned.
These documents are sent to the Directorate of Administrative and Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries to submit the said decree to the visa of the Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries, and transmission to the General Secretariat of the Government for publication.
The establishment of private veterinarians has been increasing since the 1980s, when the legislation on practice, medicine, surgery and veterinary pharmacy was adopted, In particular after the implementation of the health mandate and contractual prophylaxis.
As regards the geographical distribution of private veterinarians, 96% of the installations were carried out in the major cities (Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, etc.) around which the poultry farming projects are located, or in the irrigated areas (Gharb, Tadla, Doukkala, Haouz, Souss Massa) where intensive breeding is concentrated. In recent years, cabinets have been established in mountainous areas (such as Ifrane, Khénifra, etc.) or in the plains of the Oriental with strong sheep farming.