Nghe An strictly handles cases of illegal transportation of poultry across the border.

According to the media and the Poultry Association, recently the illegal transportation and trade of poultry and poultry products across the border into Vietnam has been quite common and complicated in localities sharing borders with other countries, especially in the Central and Southern provinces. The risk of avian influenza virus strains and many other dangerous infectious diseases spreading from abroad is very high, seriously affecting the poultry industry and people's health.

Faced with that situation, on May 18, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Official Dispatch No. 426/CD-TTg and on May 4, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Official Dispatch No. 2742/BNN-TY on preventing, detecting and strictly handling cases of illegal trading and transportation of poultry and poultry products across the border into Vietnam.

Implementing the direction of the Government, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Provincial People's CommitteeNghe AnRequesting Chairmen of People's Committees of districts, cities, towns, directors of departments, heads of relevant provincial-level sectors to concentrate resources and urgently implement the following contents:

Recently, bird flu has appeared across the country, including Nghe An. Photo: Xuan Hoang

People's Committees of districts, cities and towns:Continue to effectively implement disease prevention and control solutions.avian influenzaAccording to the provisions of the Law on Veterinary Medicine, documents guiding the implementation of the Law, Decision No. 1116/QD-UBND dated April 9, 2019 of the Provincial People's Committee on promulgating the Plan for prevention and control of avian influenza in Nghe An province for the period 2019-2025.

Strengthen inspection, supervision and control, especially at border gates, trails, openings in border areas, seaports... to promptly detect and strictly handle cases of illegal trading and transportation of poultry and poultry products into the area. In case of catching illegal shipments of poultry and poultry products, they must be destroyed immediately (before destruction, samples must be taken and sent to veterinary agencies for disease testing) and strict measures must be taken against organizations and individuals who smuggle poultry and poultry products.

Strengthen information and propaganda work for people about the risks and harmful effects of avian influenza and provide guidance on prevention and control measures so that people know and proactively implement them; Mobilize people not to participate in or assist in illegal trading and transportation of poultry and poultry products.

Review, synthesize, and report on poultry and poultry product collection and trading facilities, and hatcheries to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development through the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine before June 5, 2023.

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:Strengthen inspection, urging and directing districts, cities and towns to deploy measures to prevent and control avian influenza and control the transportation and trade of poultry and poultry products.

Direct the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine to: Strictly implement animal and animal product quarantine; direct the Bac Nghe An Animal Quarantine Station to strengthen inspection and control of the transportation of animals and animal products in and out of the area.

Proactively check and collect samples to monitor the circulation of avian influenza virus in high-risk areas in the province.

Coordinate with relevant agencies and localities to handle organizations and individuals violating regulations in transporting and trading poultry and poultry products.

Health service:Proactively guide people to prevent and control avian influenza that can spread to humans; coordinate with the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department and local authorities in monitoring avian and human influenza to promptly and effectively handle it.

Provincial Border Guard Command:Direct border guard stations to closely coordinate with local authorities and functional forces to strengthen inspection and control of border areas; especially at border gates, trails and openings to promptly detect, prevent and strictly handle smuggling of poultry, poultry products and other illegal activities according to regulations.

Organize information and propaganda to raise awareness among people in border areas about the dangers of avian influenza, the harm caused by trading and transporting poultry without quarantine or of unknown origin; prevent trade fraud and illegal transportation of poultry and poultry products across the border. Support the destruction of large quantities of poultry and poultry products that must be destroyed to prevent the spread of disease.

Provincial Police:Establish a special project to combat subjects transporting and trading poultry and poultry products illegally across the border; strengthen inspection and control of poultry and poultry product transportation on traffic routes; coordinate with relevant functional forces and local authorities to arrest and strictly handle cases of smuggling poultry and poultry products, and transporting poultry of unknown origin without animal quarantine certificates.

Department of Industry and Trade, Market Management Department:Strengthen traffic control measures, promptly detect and handle cases of illegal transportation and trading of animals and animal products into the province, poultry and poultry products of unknown origin in the market.

Department of Information and Communications:Direct media agencies to step up information and propaganda work on the risks of dangerous diseases entering from abroad through illegal transportation, trade and consumption of animals and animal products; mobilize people in border areas not to participate in or assist in the transportation and trading of animals and animal products, especially poultry and poultry products illegally imported into the province.

Relevant provincial departments and branches:Based on functions, tasks and powers, proactively coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committee at district level to implement measures to prevent and control livestock and poultry diseases./.