The Department of Animal Health visited each household that had been vaccinated with the African swine fever vaccine to evaluate the results, thereby providing transparent information, even in cases where the results were not as expected.
In response to information that some localities said they had difficulty in vaccinating African swine fever vaccine NAVET-ASFVAC due to some unspecific instructions, checking the epidemic situation in Hai Phong, Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Director of the Department of Animal Health (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) said that there was sufficient legal basis, sufficient grounds and direction from the Prime Minister to vaccinate pigs for meat.
Director Nguyen Van Long pointed out that Circular No. 07 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development regulates the prevention and control of terrestrial animal diseases, firstly for diseases that have had vaccines for a long time, with specific names, and the second section states that “with new vaccines, the Department of Animal Health advises the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to decide and direct”.
Director of the Department of Animal Health Nguyen Van Long inspects the African swine fever situation in Hai Phong city. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
On that basis, when the African swine fever vaccine was available, the Department of Animal Health advised and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Document No. 4870 dated July 20, 2023, directing and guiding very clearly on the use of African swine fever vaccine for pig herds.
During the implementation process, in order to have a basis for localities, organizations and people to implement, the Department of Animal Health advised the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to submit to the Prime Minister to issue 5 very important documents. Of note, the Prime Minister’s direction on the need to vaccinate 80% of the pig herd against African swine fever according to the instructions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
To date, more than 40 provinces and cities nationwide have vaccinated pigs against African swine fever, with a total of more than 4 million doses. The results show that the vaccine is effective and safe, with an efficiency rate of 99.5%.
“We have a full legal basis and direction from the Prime Minister on vaccinating pigs against African swine fever. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has also issued many very specific instructions, which are important bases for localities to effectively implement epidemic prevention tasks,” emphasized Director Nguyen Van Long.
Director of the Department of Animal Health Nguyen Van Long shared about the African swine fever vaccine at a meeting with the Hai Phong City People’s Committee. Photo: Dinh Muoi.
According to Director Nguyen Van Long, in the face of the widespread outbreak of African swine fever, based on the direction of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Animal Health has established more than 40 working groups to each province with major epidemics to work with localities to organize and implement epidemic prevention.
The Department of Animal Health has worked with media agencies and visited each household that has been vaccinated against African swine fever to evaluate the results, thereby providing transparent information, including cases with undesirable results. Along with that, the Department of Animal Health has stepped up information and propaganda so that people understand clearly that, in addition to biosafety farming, it is also necessary to organize African swine fever vaccination for pigs.
To promote the effectiveness of the African swine fever vaccine, localities, organizations and individuals raising pigs need to pay attention to 3 things.
First, the injection must be done at the right time because “the best vaccine is the one that is injected earliest”. Second, the injection must be done synchronously and simultaneously, not today in this herd and tomorrow in that herd, as this will not be effective. Third, after the injection, there must be measures to guide farmers to better manage their pig herds, to avoid problems or, if any, to handle them immediately.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Huan, Director of Hanoi Branch, Navetco Central Veterinary Medicine Joint Stock Company, said that the unit has been licensed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to produce NAVET-ASFVAC vaccine to prevent and control African swine fever.
Currently, Navetco is continuing to research vaccines on sows and boars to meet the disease prevention needs of farmers. Navetco has enough capacity and conditions to produce vaccines to serve provinces and cities nationwide to prevent African swine fever and is ready to respond when localities have needs.
Dinh Muoi
Source: Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper