CVA Country Councillor Profile – Dr Said Gul Safi of Afghanistan

Q1. Tell us about you, your family and where you live?
I have big family with my sons (4) and daughters(6) and live in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Q2. What is your favourite food?
Usually as other Afghan preferably meat and then vegetables.

Q3. Do you have any favourite music?
I enjoy all music preferably Asian and our native music.

Q4. What is your favourite sport
Doing nothing at the moment but during school I was doing volleyball.

Q5. Tell up in a paragraph what your current veterinary position is.
I am president of the Afghanistan Veterinary Association.

Q6. What influenced you to become a veterinarian?
Nothing influenced me to be a veterinarian. Due to policy of our government all high school graduates has to pass entrance examination and based on the score they will go to different colleges whether someone likes it or not.

Q7. What do you enjoy most about being a veterinarian?
All my efforts were to establish private practice officially with government and change the by-law to allow private practice and support private sector in term of logistic, cold chain, transportation and clinical equipment followed by continuing education. Thanks god I have succeeded and now more than 800 district base such clinics have been established supported and practicing as private vets. And closely in contact with government to report public concern diseases and implement sanitary mandate. My second wish was to establish a technically sound association which is in place and our continuing education is continuing without any break.

Q8. What are some of the main challenges for you and your national veterinary association?
We believe all the challenges could be overcome if we are committed and keep hard working.

Q9. How do you communicate to your organisation about the CVA and its activities?
We and specially I am in direct contact with CVA management but unfortunately due to visa problem we have been kept away for the last four years and being not able to attend the CVA congress.

Q10. How do you think the CVA can assist you in your Councillor Role?
Continue contact and assisting them in developing technical back up of vets.