The Prime Minister requests to completely handle African swine fever outbreaks

The Prime Minister has just sent an express dispatch to ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and agencies under the Government, People's Committees of provinces, and centrally-run cities on the drastic and synchronous implementation of solutions to prevent and control African swine fever (ASF).

The dispatch stated that, according to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, from the beginning of the year until now, over 530 ASF outbreaks have appeared nationwide, forcing the destruction of over 20,000 pigs in 44 provinces and cities, especially in the provinces. Lang Son, Cao Bang, Son La, Quang Binh, Dak Lak...

The disease has been on the rise since August in many provinces and cities, especially in localities with large herds, negatively affecting the pig farming industry and ensuring food supply.

To prevent, against, and control the ASF epidemic promptly and effectively, ensuring pork supply in the coming time, especially on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2024, the Prime Minister requested the Chairman of the People's Committees of the provinces, Centrally run cities focus on directing and organizing the drastic, synchronous and effective implementation of measures to prevent and control ASF disease following the direction of the Secretariat, the National Assembly, the Government and the Prime Minister. Government (including the National Plan for African Swine Fever Prevention and Control for the period 2020-2025 issued together with Decision No. 972/QD-TTg dated July 7, 2020, of the Prime Minister) and guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, focusing on the following specific tasks:

Directly direct and mobilize local resources to organize and completely handle outbreaks, preventing new outbreaks from arising; Organize the destruction of infected, suspected, and dead pigs; proactively implement policies to support farmers suffering losses due to epidemics under the law; promptly detect, prevent and resolutely handle cases of buying, selling, transporting sick pigs, and dumping dead pig carcasses that spread diseases and pollute the environment;

Instruct farmers to increase the application of hygiene and disinfection measures with lime powder and chemicals in livestock areas and surrounding high-risk areas; Promote biosafety livestock farming and build disease-free livestock facilities and sites;

Urgently review and organize vaccination to prevent dangerous infectious diseases in pigs such as foot-and-mouth disease, blue ear, especially ASF vaccine for pork herds in localities that have had, are currently having epidemics, and are at risk. High includes pigs that have been vaccinated but have expired or are about to expire, ensuring the rate reaches over 80% of the total herd at the time of vaccination;

Direct the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and People's Committees at all levels to establish working groups to organize inspection and supervision of animal disease prevention and control; building disease-free livestock chains and areas;

Implement complete, timely, and accurate reporting of data on the online animal disease reporting system (VAHIS); Strictly handle cases of hidden epidemics and delayed reporting that lead to the spread of the disease;

Enhance information and propagate widely in many forms about the dangerous nature of ASF disease, the risk of disease recurrence and spread, disease prevention measures and use of ASF vaccine for meat pigs according to instructions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development presides and coordinates with ministries, branches and localities to focus on directing, organizing, guiding, urging and inspecting the prevention and control of ASF; proactively closely monitoring the epidemic situation; ensuring early detection, warning and direct the thorough handling of outbreaks, preventing the disease from spreading widely;

Direct the veterinary force at the facility to closely follow the area, proactively instruct farmers to regularly monitor the pig herd, apply biosecurity measures in livestock farming; cleaning, disinfection with lime powder and chemicals; Promote the construction of disease-free livestock facilities and areas;

Continue proactively coordinating with international organizations and countries in sharing and supporting Vietnam in disease prevention and control, research, and production of ASF vaccines for sows, males, and breeds...

The Ministry of Industry and Trade directs market management forces and relevant units to coordinate with veterinary forces, police, and traffic inspectors to handle cases of unknown trading and transportation of pigs and pig products not yet quarantined in the market to prevent ASF and other animal diseases.

The Ministry of Information and Communications directs central and local press agencies to promote propaganda about ASF disease prevention and control measures so that people do not panic and proactively apply disease prevention measures, according to the instructions of specialized agencies.

Relevant ministries, branches and members of the National Steering Committee for ASF prevention and control, according to their assigned functions and tasks, proactively direct specialized authorities to coordinate to implement measures to prevent and control ASF disease.