Bahrain will hold its first veterinary conference next month, with a focus on fostering health sectors to foster collaboration, sharing knowledge and driving innovation within the industry.

Themed "Vets on the Cutting Edge", the Bahrain Veterinary Conference will take place from Sept 25 to 26 at the Art Hotel and Resort on the Amwaj Islands.

The conference is being organized by Checklist, a firm that deals in integrated solutions for event management, global trade facilitation and strategic business advice, in collaboration with Bahrain's Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture.

"Bahrain launched the first Bahrain Veterinary Conference in response to a mix of emerging challenges and growing opportunities in the veterinary and animal health sector," Abdulrahim Naqi, a consultant at Checklist in Bahrain, told China Daily.

Some challenges include the need for stronger veterinary regulations, such as licensing professional accreditation and pharmaceutical regulation, which suggest that Bahrain is working to modernize and align its veterinary laws with international standards, said Naqi.

He said topics such as antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic disease surveillance point to rising public health risks that require coordinated veterinary strategies.

"And Bahrain, like other Gulf countries, is increasingly vulnerable to climate-related health shifts affecting animals and humans alike, necessitating a forward-looking veterinary response," added Naqi.

He said that the Gulf region is seeing a surge in pet ownership, animal healthcare spending and livestock investments — creating demand for more advanced veterinary services and education.

"By organizing this landmark event, Bahrain aims to establish itself as a leader in veterinary knowledge-sharing and innovation within the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and broader Middle East," said Naqi.

"The conference places strong emphasis on CME (Continuing Medical Education) accredited sessions, best practices and technology in animal care, reflecting a strategic push toward professional development for Bahrain's veterinary workforce," he added.

The two-day event will include panel sessions that will tackle present standards and regulations in the veterinary field in Bahrain, digital veterinary tools, such as the use of artificial intelligence, cloud-based patient records and tele-veterinary consultations, as well as eco-conscious veterinary practices, including sustainability, stewardship and waste management.

There will also be discussions on preventive health trends such as vaccination, early detection and health monitoring systems, the role of veterinarians in zoonotic disease surveillance and climate-related health shifts.

Other issues that will be covered include the role of diet, probiotics and tailored feeding strategies, as well as advances in herd health, productivity monitoring and sustainable farm veterinary care.

Exhibitors, sponsors and delegates can visit https://checklistbh.com/ for more information.

jan@chinadailyapac.com