CVA Councillor Profile – Keerthi Gunasekara of Sri Lanka

Q1. Tell us about you, your family and where you live?

My Wife is Priyanthika and we have two daughters Sithuli & Methuli. We live in Battaramulla, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Q2. What is your favourite food?

I like my staple food rice and curry

Q3. Do you have any favourite music?

I love all types of music

Q4. What is your favourite sport?

Cricket

Q5. Tell us in a paragraph what your current veterinary position is.

President of the Sri Lanka Veterinary Association.

Presently working as the Regional Director for Quadragen Vet health Pvt. Ltd –India, responsible for Asian and Pacific market for Poultry, Dairy & Pet Products

Q6. What influenced you to become a veterinarian?

I understood veterinarians are very important people in our society, not only they save animals lives but also they are heroes for people too.

Q7. What do you enjoy most about being a veterinarian?

The veterinary profession is a noble profession. The Veterinarian is responsible both animal health and human health. The Veterinarian contributes a lot for the GDP of the country.

Q8. What are some of the main challenges for you and your national veterinary association?

1. One health concept – to improve animal welfare and public health through controlling zoonotic diseases, notifiable animal diseases and maintaining high standard of food safety and meat hygiene
2. To direct the country towards the self-sufficiency in milk
3. To avoid human elephant conflicts

Q9. How do you communicate to your organisation about the CVA and its activities?

The CVA is the mother body of all national veterinary associations in the globe. SLVA is a member of the CVA over two decades.

Q10. How do you think the CVA can assist you in your councillor role?

I personally believe CVA guidance is very much important to overcome the main challenges for SLVA.