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HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is targeting more than 90 per cent of communes and wards being free of African swine fever (AFS) by 2022 and the country being free of the disease by 2025.

The targets are set in a 2020-25 national plan on African swine fever prevention that has been approved by deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng.

The plan also targets to have 500 safe pig breeding facilities and 50 safe livestock chains, meeting domestic demand and for export.

It envisages that 90 per cent of small and medium pig breeding farms and 80 per cent of large scale ones will have bio-security measures, while also working towards a vaccine against ASF.   

To achieve the goals, the country will focus on timely detection of infected cases and the adoption of preventive measures against ASF as well as minimise economic losses and the negative impact of pork price fluctuations on society.

Attention will be paid to the application of bio-security procedures in pig raising, supervising the disease, culling infected pigs and controlling the transportation and sales of pork products.

Testing capacity will be strengthened along with the launch of dissemination campaigns to raise people’s awareness of ASF.

The application of livestock biosecurity aims to keep out pathogens the herd has not been exposed to and to minimise the impact of endemic pathogens. To carry this out, the food for livestock must have clear origins and leftover food or use must be minimised.

It is necessary to cull all pigs suspected to be infected with ASF.

The National Steering Committee for African Swine Flu Prevention and Control was authorised to direct emergency response activities across the country.

The Department of Animal Health is assigned to issue documents guiding the implementation of Veterinary Law and set up a national supervising plan on the disease.

The department is also the agency that instructs localities on the building of safe livestock chain and pig farmings. It is also supposed to support business in exporting pig products to foreign markets.

According to the department, the ASF has reoccurred in 20 provinces and cities, resulting in the culling of about 10,000 pigs. The risk of spreading of the disease on a large scale is high, affecting the re-breeding plan and growth of pig herds. Due to the disease, it is difficult to ensure the yield of pork to meet customers’ demand.

There is no approved vaccine against the African swine fever virus.

It is fatal for pigs and wild boars and can be transmitted in a number of ways, including direct contact and contamination of food waste and feed. — VNS