A PIONEERING vet clinic in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province is proving a success with local families struggling to make a living out of the harsh and dangerous landscape.

Prevsiously unheard of in this part of the world, the clinic is run once a month for local farmers to bring their livestock for free checkups and preventative healthcare.

British Army Veterinary Officer, Captain Miles Malone’s main role is to provide care to the working dogs used to search out improvised explosive device components, but has now become the driving force of this new project set up to improve living standards for local Afghan people.

“Animal livestock forms the lifeblood of these local communities. By improving the health of the herd, we can in turn have a positive impact on the health, wealth and general wellbeing of the population” said Miles.

“If we reduce the disease state of the animals, the knock on effect will be improved meat and milk production. This not only increases the value of the animals at market, but it increases the amount of protein in the locals’ diet. If the meat doesn’t contain worms or diseases which can be transmitted to humans, so the health of the local population also improves.”

He added: “By helping the locals with a project like this, we build up good relations with them and they repay us with information about the surrounding area and local Taliban activity.”

Seargeant Major Greg Reeve, 39, from Upavon in Wiltshire said: “The economy of Helmand is 70% agricultural, 20% livestock and 10% other. If an Afghan man owns an animal, it will be more prized to him than any other possession, apart from his sons. Everything in Afghanistan has a price, but you cannot compare local values to Western values. Apart from the family compound, animals – cows, sheep, goats – are a farmers most valuable commodity.”

Miles said that despite the value of livestock – the average daily income is around 1 US dollar and a healthy goat can cost up to 70 USD – many local people were completely ignorant on how to care for their animals.

“The concept of a vet is virtually unknown in Afghanistan, particularly in these rural communities. However, the concept of a doctor is better understood so when it is explained that I am a doctor for animals, the villagers are more accepting. I think there is a certain suspicion of ‘white man’s magic’, however an important aspect to the clinic is the education which we simultaneously endeavour to give the locals about animal welfare and husbandry.”

Greg added: “Farmers here have absolutely no idea about animal husbandry. There is near total ignorance about causes and spread of disease, breeding cycles and how milk is produced. If a goat stops milking, it is said to be Allah’s will rather than the fact that it has not bred for 18 months and therefore has no anatomical reason to produce milk.”

Miles said the priority is to de-worm and de-louse the livestock, and then vaccinate them once they are free of parasites.

“From a slightly geeky veterinary perspective, these herds are fascinating because the goats and sheep are extremely ancient breeds. They have not been engineered by breeding programmes and are as they would have appeared in biblical times. Because they have not been exposed to drugs and have built up no resistance, they respond extremely well and quickly to the products I give them,” said Miles.

“Our main effort has to be focused on herd health. De-worming and vaccination programmes which will steadily see an improvement in the overall quality of all the animals will reap long term benefits. Of course if specific animals present with sickness I’ll do my best to treat them too.”

The cost of treating each animal ranges from £1.70 per head, to £4 if antibiotics are needed.

Greg said: “This needs to be sustainable, so we ensure we source the drugs from local suppliers. We advise them on what they need to stock, storage methods and use by dates. In the future we also hope to train Afghans in basic veterinary skills so that they can be the ones treating the farm animals. That way, we hope to leave a lasting and beneficial legacy as the result of this project.”