Director of the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyễn Văn Long. — VNS Photo Tố Như

Throughout the research, development, production and official licensing of the African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine, Việt Nam has been transparent, sharing information at each stage of vaccine development with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the international community. The Director of the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyễn Văn Long, spoke with local media about the issue.

Could you share about Việt Nam's research and production process of the ASF vaccine?

Immediately after US scientists announced successful research on a genetically modified weakly virulent strain of ASF virus with the ASF-G-Delta I177L gene removed, the leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development sent a letter to the US Embassy in Hà Nội and the US Department of Agriculture requesting support and inviting three US scientists, including Dr Cyril G. Gay, head of the Animal Health and Safety Agricultural Research Service; Dr Manuel Borca, the lead scientist at the Foreign Animal Disease Unit; and Dr. Douglas P. Gladue, internationally recognised leader in the field of ASF, to Việt Nam to collaborate on researching the ASF vaccine.

As a result, the Department of Animal Health reached an agreement and signed a Memorandum of Understanding for technical cooperation with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) under the US Department of Agriculture to study the vaccine using the US virus strain, and establish testing and evaluation procedures.

Since July 2020, the ARS officially transferred necessary materials, including vaccine virus strains and adapted cell lines, to relevant potential units in Việt Nam for research and production of ASF vaccines.

Leading Vietnamese vaccine production companies conducted assessments of the vaccine virus strains, evaluated and selected the transferred cell lines, and developed the research process for the production of the ASF vaccine.

Vietnamese partners frequently exchanged information through email or online meetings about the results of each stage of research and production of the ASF vaccine.

On April 22, 2023, the Department of Animal Health had a working session with ARS experts. At the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development headquarters in Hà Nội, an official meeting was held with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến to share information on the latest research results, and assess the standards and procedures of studying, testing and evaluation of the ASF vaccine in the United States and globally, as well as the current practices in Việt Nam.

On June 3, 2022, in Hà Nội, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development organised an event to announce the successful research and production results of the ASF, namely NAVET-ASFVAC commercial vaccine produced by the Navetco National Veterinary Joint Stock Company. US Ambassador to Việt Nam, Marc E. Knapper, made a speech acknowledging and highly appreciating the effective and close coordination between Vietnamese and US scientists and agencies. Việt Nam also presented a documentary describing the entire process of organising research, evaluation, licensing and circulation of the ASF vaccine.

Việt Nam has successfully developed a vaccine to administer to pigs to fight African swine fever. VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh

Is the process of sharing research and production results of the ASF vaccine with international community mandatory for Việt Nam?

According to international regulations and Vietnamese laws, Việt Nam is not obligated to report or share comprehensive results and detailed data on research into veterinary drugs in general, or veterinary vaccines specifically.

However, because this is a challenging process to research and produce vaccine, and there is currently no commercial vaccine globally, Việt Nam has proactively shared information with FAO and WOAH.

On June 8, 2022, FAO and WOAH sent a delegation of experts, including Samia Ali Metwally, senior veterinary expert of FAO and team leader; Catherine Robertson, laboratory expert of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE); Mariana Martins Marrana, veterinary expert of OIE; and Pawin Padungtod, senior coordinator of FAO office in Hà Nội, to Việt Nam for a working session.

The delegation worked with Navetco Company and units under the Department of Animal Health. During this meeting, Việt Nam presented detailed research and production results of the ASF vaccine.

On May 21, 2023, at the 90th annual conference of WOAH held in Paris, France, Vietnamese experts, led by Deputy Minister Tiến, met with Monique Eloit, Director General of WOAH, and shared with her about the research and production of the ASF vaccine. The team also reached an agreement for WOAH to continue supporting Việt Nam in evaluating and improving production processes and expanding the use of the vaccine.

Immediately after completing the trial use of 600,000 doses of the ASF vaccine on July 8, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued an official document permitting the use of two types of ASF vaccines, NAVET ASF VAC and AVAC ASF LIVE. The Department of Animal Health shared this information with Dr Ronello C. Abila, Sub-Regional Representative for South-East Asia of WOAH.

At the 33rd Conference of the Regional Commission for Asia and the Pacific held between November 13 to 16, 2023, in India, the Department of Animal Health presented a report on the research, production, evaluation and licensing of the ASF vaccine to Monique Eloit, director general of WOAH, and other conference attendees.

From November 21 to 22, 2023, at the 5th WOAH Regional Workshop on Swine Disease Control in Asia and the Pacific held in Beijing, China, the Department of Animal Health reported and shared comprehensive information on the ASF situation, as well as the official circulation of ASF vaccine in Việt Nam.

Việt Nam affirms that we have been sharing complete and timely information of the ASF vaccine in Việt Nam.

Currently, how is the ASF vaccine circulated in Việt Nam?

On July 24, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Document 4870/BNN-TY authorising the use of the ASF vaccine nationwide.

On December 6, 2023, the Prime Minister issued directives on the prevention and control of ASF, emphasising the acceleration of ASF vaccine administration.

As of now, the total pig population in Việt Nam is 30.1 million, an increase of 4.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2022. Meanwhile, the quantity of vaccines used in localities is still limited, primarily due to most provinces conducting vaccine procurement bidding to support the vaccination plan.

The total number of produced vaccine doses to date are 4.5 million. The quantity of vaccines supplied and used is over 1.5 million doses. As many as 300,000 doses of the ASF vaccine were exported to the Philippines.

The total quantity of stored vaccines is approximately three million doses.

In the upcoming time, Việt Nam will continue to expand the ASF vaccine administration. — VNS