Public education and stronger policy enforcement could improve animal welfare in Ghana, according to research presented in Warsaw, Poland, by Ebenezer Effah, a recent Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST).

Presented at the 51st World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Congress, the study highlighted the need to integrate animal welfare into animal health and production practices. It also pointed to potential public health benefits, including reducing the risk of diseases transmitted between animals and humans through improved animal husbandry.

The study, “Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception of Animal Welfare in Ghana: Implications for Policy and Advocacy”, identified public education and stronger enforcement of existing animal welfare policies as key strategies for improving standards and practices.

Effah co-authored the research with Maxwell Asampana and Jacob Osei, both recent graduates of KNUST’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

A second study presented at the congress examined how leadership experience during veterinary training could help students develop the competencies needed for professional practice.

Effah and Ekaa Desai, a veterinary student researcher at Mumbai Veterinary College in India, presented the paper, “The Relationship Between Early Leadership in Veterinary Students and Professional Competency Building in Veterinary Practice”.

Its findings suggested that taking on leadership roles during training could help veterinary students develop resilience, professional competencies and leadership skills for their future careers.

The 2026 WSAVA Congress brought together veterinarians and other experts from across the world to share research findings and discuss developments in veterinary practice, education and training.