The Prime Minister of Vietnam's Request for strict implementation of measures for preventing and controlling African Swine Fever

The Prime Minister of Vietnam's Request for strict implementation of measures for preventing and controlling African Swine Fever (Internet image)

On July 14, 2024, the Prime Minister of Vietnam issued Directive 21/CT-TTg on the strict implementation of measures to prevent and control African Swine Fever.

The Prime Minister of Vietnam's Request for strict implementation of measures for preventing and controlling African Swine Fever

To promptly and effectively prevent, control, and manage African Swine Fever (ASF), the Prime Minister of Vietnam requires:

- Chairpersons of Provincial and Municipal People's Committees directly report to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Municipal Party Committee, focusing particularly on leadership and direction. They should also proactively organize and implement aggressive and synchronized measures to effectively prevent and control ASF as directed by the Secretariat, the National Assembly, the Government, the Prime Minister, and in accordance with the guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. They should concentrate on the following specific tasks:

+ Directly oversee and mobilize local resources to decisively handle disease spots, prevent the emergence of new disease spots, and organize the destruction of infected, suspected, and dead pigs. They should proactively implement support policies for farmers affected by the disease in accordance with the law; promptly detect, prevent, and strictly handle cases of trading and transporting infected pigs, and disposing of dead pigs that spread the disease and pollute the environment.

+ Guide farmers to adopt enhanced hygiene measures and disinfect high-risk breeding areas; promote biosecurity breeding practices, and establish disease-free breeding facilities and regions.

+ Review and accurately enumerate the total pig herd and the number of pigs vaccinated against ASF. Based on this, approve plans and prioritize funds for purchasing vaccines and organizing synchronous immunization at the same time as directed by the Prime Minister in Directive 29/CT-TTg dated December 6, 2023, Official Telegram 1097/CD-TTg dated November 16, 2023, and No. 58/CD-TTg dated June 16, 2024, and by following the guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

+ Direct the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committees at all levels to strictly carry out disease prevention and control, especially in areas where the disease is present or has the potential to emerge; establish disease-free breeding chains and areas.

+ Increase information dissemination and extensive communication through various methods about the dangers of ASF, the risk of disease recurrence and spread, the preventive measures, and the use of ASF vaccines for fattening pigs as per the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development guidelines.

+ Strictly implement reporting policies, ensuring full, prompt, and accurate disease data on the online Animal Disease Reporting System (VAHIS); strictly handle cases of concealing disease, delayed reporting, and spreading disease.

+ Consider and address the responsibility of leaders for negligence or lax leadership leading to disease outbreaks in their managed areas.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Hanoi, Vietnam) shall lead and coordinate with related ministries and central authorities, as well as localities, to:

+ Proactively allocate funds and resources to effectively implement the National Plan for ASF prevention and control for the 2020 - 2025 period as assigned, to achieve the plan’s objectives.

+ Focus on directing, organizing, guiding, urging, and inspecting ASF prevention and control activities; proactively monitor the disease situation closely to ensure early detection, warning, and decisive and comprehensive handling of outbreaks to prevent widespread disease.

+ Urge localities to promptly develop, approve, allocate funds, and effectively implement the contents of the National Plan for ASF prevention and control for the 2020 - 2025 period.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade (Hanoi, Vietnam) shall direct the market management forces and relevant units to cooperate with veterinary forces, police, and traffic inspectors to enhance control, detect, and promptly prevent and strictly handle cases of trading, transporting infected pigs, and products of unknown origin that have not been quarantined in the market to prevent ASF and other animal diseases.

- The Ministry of Information and Communications (Hanoi, Vietnam) shall direct central and local media agencies to intensify the dissemination of measures to prevent and control ASF to prevent public panic and encourage proactive adoption of disease prevention measures as per specialized agency guidelines.

- The Ministry of Finance, based on the state budget's balancing capacity, shall allocate funds for ministries, agencies, and localities to serve ASF prevention and control activities and implement the National Plan for ASF prevention and control for the 2020-2025 period in accordance with current regulations on state budget decentralization and relevant laws.

- The Ministry of Home Affairs shall cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to guide localities in consolidating the provincial and district specialized veterinary management agencies to ensure sufficient workforce for disease prevention and control.

- Relevant ministries and industries and members of the National Steering Committee for ASF prevention and control, within their assigned functions and duties, shall proactively direct specialized agencies to coordinate and decisively and effectively implement measures to prevent and control ASF.

More details can be found in Directive 21/CT-TTg dated July 14, 2024.

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