Nghe An issues directive on prevention and control of African swine fever

The directive clearly stated that from the beginning of 2024 to now, in Nghe An, there have been 244 outbreaks of African swine fever in districts, cities and towns with a total of 9,955 pigs forced to be destroyed; the epidemic occurred mainly in small-scale farms that did not ensure disease safety.

To implement measures to prevent and control African swine fever, the Provincial People's Committee issued Directive No. 28/CT-UBND dated August 8, 2024, Urgent dispatch No. 43/CD-UBND dated October 30, 2024 directing the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to strictly implement measures to prevent and control African swine fever, but the work of disease prevention and control in some localities is not drastic and not very effective. Currently, the whole province still has more than 60 outbreaks of African swine fever that have not passed 21 days.

In order to promptly and effectively prevent African swine fever, limit damage, restore production, and ensure food supply; Implementing Directive No. 41/CT-TTg dated November 6, 2024 of the Prime Minister on focusing on drastic and synchronous implementation of solutions to prevent and control African swine fever, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requests Chairmen of People's Committees of districts, cities, towns, Directors of Departments, Heads of provincial-level departments and branches, and relevant units to focus on drastic and synchronous implementation of solutions to prevent and control African swine fever with the following main tasks:

Chairman of People's Committee of districts, cities and townsDirectly direct the organization to resolutely and synchronously implement measures to prevent and control African swine fever in accordance with the direction of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee in Directive No. 29-CT/TU dated May 27, 2019 on strengthening leadership and direction to effectively implement the work of preventing, combating and controlling African swine fever and the above-mentioned directives of the Provincial People's Committee on preventing and combating African swine fever, specifically:

Direct the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development/Department of Economics, the District Agricultural Service Center, and the Commune People's Committee to proactively and closely monitor the epidemic situation; detect early, warn and direct the thorough handling of outbreaks, not allowing new outbreaks to occur; strictly organize disease prevention and control work, especially in places where there is an epidemic or at risk of an epidemic; handle and destroy sick pigs, suspected sick pigs, and dead pigs in accordance with regulations and instructions on African swine fever prevention and control; promptly detect, prevent and strictly handle cases of buying, selling, transporting sick pigs, and dumping dead pigs that spread the epidemic and pollute the environment.

Review and compile specific and accurate statistics on the total pig herd and the number of pigs vaccinated against African swine fever; on that basis, propagate and mobilize farmers to proactively purchase African swine fever vaccine to vaccinate their pigs. At the same time, the district-level People's Committee shall prioritize adjusting plans, allocating funds to purchase African swine fever vaccine and organizing synchronous vaccination according to the direction and guidance of veterinary agencies.

Strengthen information and propaganda work to raise awareness and consciousness of livestock farmers about the dangerous nature of African swine fever, the risk of disease spread and recurrence, disease prevention measures and the use of African swine fever vaccine to vaccinate pigs.

Update and report on the epidemic situation and epidemic prevention and control work daily to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (through the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine); strictly handle cases of concealing epidemics and slow reporting that lead to the spread of epidemics.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of districts, cities and towns shall be responsible to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee if an outbreak of African swine fever occurs, causing damage to the livestock industry in the management area.

Department of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentPreside over and coordinate with sectors and localities:

Focus on directing, guiding, urging, and inspecting the work of preventing and controlling African swine fever; proactively monitor the epidemic situation closely, implement measures to increase herds, restore herds, and restore production to ensure food supply before, during, and after the Lunar New Year 2025.

Advise the Provincial People's Committee to adjust the national plan for prevention and control of African swine fever for the period 2020-2025, submit funding for purchasing African swine fever vaccines for localities to organize synchronous vaccination at the same time according to the direction of the Prime Minister and guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine shall strictly implement the reporting regime, ensure timely and complete disease data on the online animal disease reporting system; strengthen quarantine work and control the transportation of animals and animal products.

Steering Committee against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods(Steering Committee 389) of the province directed functional forces to increase patrols and controls to prevent, promptly detect and strictly handle subjects illegally transporting pigs and pork products of unknown origin and illegally into the province.

Provincial PoliceDirect functional units to investigate, monitor the situation, update the list of subjects showing signs of trading, transporting, and consuming smuggled pigs and pig products, suspected of smuggling, and illegal transportation; take measures to educate, mobilize, and deter to proactively prevent, and at the same time focus on professional measures in coordination with forces to combat, arrest, and strictly handle cases of illegal transportation and consumption of animals and animal products; of unknown origin; without quarantine certificates, evading quarantine via the North-South expressway and national and provincial highways; selling sick animals, dumping animal carcasses into the environment.

Department of Industry and Trade, Market Management DepartmentCoordinate with veterinary forces, police, and traffic inspectors to handle cases of trading and transporting pigs and pig products of unknown origin and without quarantine certificates in the market to prevent African swine fever and other animal diseases.

Department of Information and CommunicationsDirecting press agencies to step up propaganda on measures to prevent and control African swine fever so that people can proactively apply disease prevention measures according to the instructions of specialized agencies of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine.

Department of FinancePreside over and coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to advise on the allocation of funding for the prevention and control of African swine fever to effectively implement the National Plan for the prevention and control of African swine fever for the period 2020-2025; have a plan to balance and supplement funding to purchase African swine fever vaccines to vaccinate pigs.

Relevant provincial departments and branchesBased on functions, tasks and powers, proactively coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committees at district level to resolutely and effectively implement measures to prevent and control African swine fever and other diseases in livestock.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requests the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns; Directors of Departments, Heads of relevant provincial-level sectors to seriously and effectively implement this Directive.