المملكة: Each two years license for the foreigner and 5 for the Gulf … new rules for veterinary practice

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has launched a project to update the Veterinary Professions and Installations Directory through the “Reconnaissance” platform; In order to control the practice of veterinary professions in the Kingdom and improve the quality of services provided to livestock.
The new guide comes as an alternative to the previous version issued on July 2, 2023, to form a comprehensive regulatory reference that clarifies the technical and operational requirements of the practice licenses, and sets clear rules for workers in this field, whether inside or outside the veterinary facilities.

Veterinary professions license … a prerequisite for practice

In the first chapter, the evidence stipulated the need to obtain a professional license to practice the veterinary profession in any government or private facility, and not to allow it to be practiced without the fulfillment of the regular conditions approved by the ministry.
The Ministry determined that obtaining the license requires the provision of basic documents that include a bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine or its equivalent, and the experience of not less than five years for non -citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, along with the criminal status newspaper, copies of the passport and residence, and a recent personal photo.

A specialized committee to examine applications and verify the documents

The Ministry established a specialized committee to consider veterinary licensing requests and examine documents and documents submitted by practitioners. In the event that the documents are valid for the citizens of the GCC states, the license is issued directly, while the applicants from outside the Gulf states are subject to a written test and a personal interview to ensure their eligibility.
The veterinary facilities are required to exclude any practitioner that proves the incorrectness of his documents, with the Ministry’s authority to refer the violations to the security authorities.

A national record for licensed practitioners

Within the organizational procedures, the Ministry establishes a national record to registration of practitioners licensed to practice veterinary professions, distributed according to the classification of animal and veterinary facilities.
The record also includes workers in universities, research centers, public health, and veterinary products, in which the date of registration, qualifications, residence and work data, and the body where the veterinary practitioner works.

Licensing periods … and renewal according to the category

According to the evidence, licenses for practicing the profession are granted to citizens from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries for a period of five years renewable, while licenses are renewed by non -citizens in the private sector every two years, and practitioners in government agencies are granted a five -year license that ends with the end of the service.
The guide specifies cases where the license is canceled, including the cancellation of the license of the facility in which the doctor works, the end of the employment contract, the lack of validity of the documents, or in the event of death, in addition to cases of stopping the license by the ministry.

Controls for transportation, temporary contract and professional visits

The guide allowed the owners of the establishments to apply for a transfer or temporary contract with a licensed veterinarian in the event of the absence of the basic doctor, and the application is required to the Ministry with the written approval of both parties, and a temporary license is granted not exceeding six months.
With regard to professional visits, the guide authorized the recruitment of consultants or veterinarians visiting visitor for a period not exceeding three months, renewable, provided that the justifications for need and supportive documents are provided, and to obtain a visa support from the ministry, with a temporary license to the visitor.
The guide organized the mechanism of temporary mandate for veterinary cadres between licensed installations, provided that the delegated doctor is licensed, and works within his specialization, according to a cooperative agreement between the two parties, and a period not exceeding six months renewable, after the Ministry’s approval.

The responsibilities and obligations of the veterinary practitioner

He explained a set of obligations that fall on the veterinarian, including reporting when changing the employer, adhering to the traditions and ethics of the profession, practicing the profession honestly and accurately, and making an effort to treat animals and help them to recover, and obliges the doctor to inform the owner of the animal of the expected results and costs of treatment and obtain his written approval before performing any surgery.
The evidence stressed the need for the practitioner to develop his scientific knowledge, and participate in the training courses and approved seminars, in addition to immediate reporting of any diseases that pose a risk to man or the environment, in line with the one health curriculum.

Strict prohibitions for the veterinary profession

The evidence prohibited the practice of any veterinary work without a license, as well as preventing the retaining medicines and vaccines within unauthorized installations, with the exception of pharmacies and primary care centers, and the sale or promotion of medicines is prohibited from the approved authorities, and the use of unlicensed devices or drugs not registered with the Food and Drug General Authority.
The prohibitions also included preventing the doctor from directing the beneficiaries to specific pharmacies or laboratories in exchange for a personal benefit, or providing any criminal diagnosis without a special license from the ministry.

Medical responsibility … and compensation for errors

The Ministry affirmed that the veterinary practitioner bears full responsibility for any harm resulting from neglect or negligence in his work, whether it is the result of ignorance of the scientific foundations, incorrect use of devices and medicines, or conducting non -certified experimental operations.
The regulations required compensation for the victim in the event of a mistake, while the practitioner is exempted from responsibility in the event of his commitment to scientific principles and the utmost effort.
Among the medical errors monitored by the guide, the neglect of follow -up, the non -approved experiments, the exchange of drugs for the experiment, the use of unregistered drugs, and the lack of preventive measures when using devices, as well as negligence in supervision or control within the facility.