Nghe An province issues directive on preventing and controlling African swine fever.
In response to the current outbreak of African swine fever in many localities, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has just issued Directive No. 45 on focusing on the decisive and coordinated implementation of solutions to prevent and control this disease.
The directive states that from the beginning of 2024 to the present, Nghe An province has experienced 244 outbreaks of African swine fever in districts, cities, and towns, resulting in the forced culling of a total of 9,955 pigs; the outbreaks mainly occurred in small-scale livestock 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, and Urgent Telegram No. 43/CĐ-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. However, disease prevention and control efforts in some localities have not been decisive and effective. Currently, the entire province still has over 60 African swine fever outbreaks that have not yet passed the 21-day quarantine period.
To effectively prevent African swine fever, minimize damage, restore production, and ensure food supply; in accordance with Directive No. 41/CT-TTg dated November 6, 2024, of the Prime Minister on focusing on the decisive and synchronized implementation of solutions to prevent and control African swine fever, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requests the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns, the Directors of Departments, the Heads of provincial agencies and relevant units to focus on the decisive and synchronized implementation of solutions to prevent and control African swine fever with the following main tasks:
Chairpersons of the People's Committees of districts, cities, and townsDirectly directing the vigorous and coordinated implementation of measures to prevent and control African swine fever in accordance with the spirit of the Provincial Party Standing Committee's directive No. 29-CT/TU dated May 27, 2019, on strengthening leadership and direction to effectively implement the work of preventing, controlling, and containing African swine fever, and the aforementioned directives of the Provincial People's Committee on the prevention and control of African swine fever, specifically:
Direct the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development/Department of Economy, the District-level Agricultural Service Center, and the People's Committees of communes to proactively monitor the disease situation closely; detect early, warn, and direct the thorough handling of outbreaks, preventing the emergence of new outbreaks; strictly organize disease prevention and control work, especially in areas with outbreaks or at risk of outbreaks; properly dispose of sick, suspected sick, and dead pigs in accordance with regulations and guidelines on African swine fever prevention and control; promptly detect, prevent, and resolutely handle cases of buying, selling, and transporting sick pigs, and discarding dead pig carcasses that spread disease and pollute the environment.
Review and compile specific and accurate statistics on the total pig population and the number of fattening pigs that have been vaccinated against African swine fever; based on this, disseminate information and encourage farmers to proactively purchase African swine fever vaccine to vaccinate their fattening pigs. At the same time, district-level People's Committees should prioritize adjusting plans, allocating funds to purchase African swine fever vaccine, and organizing synchronized vaccination according to the directives and guidance of veterinary agencies.
Strengthen information and communication efforts to raise awareness among livestock farmers about the dangerous nature of African swine fever, the risk of disease spread and recurrence, disease prevention and control measures, and the use of African swine fever vaccine to vaccinate fattening pigs.
Update and report daily on the disease situation and disease prevention and control efforts to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (via the Livestock and Veterinary Sub-Department); strictly handle cases of concealing outbreaks or delaying reporting that lead to the spread of disease.
The Chairpersons of the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns are responsible to the Chairperson of the Provincial People's Committee if an outbreak of African swine fever occurs, causing damage to the livestock industry in their managed areas.
Department of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentPreside over and coordinate with relevant departments and localities:
Focus on directing, guiding, urging, and inspecting the work of preventing and controlling African swine fever; proactively monitor the disease situation closely, implement measures to increase herd size, repopulate herds, and restore production to ensure food supply before, during, and after the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake 2025.
The Provincial People's Committee's advisory body is adjusting the national plan for the prevention and control of African swine fever for the period 2020-2025, and submitting a request for funding to purchase African swine fever vaccines for localities to organize synchronized vaccination at the same time, as directed by the Prime Minister and guided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine is tasked with strictly implementing reporting procedures, ensuring timely and complete data on animal diseases on the online animal disease reporting system; and strengthening quarantine and control of animal and animal product transportation.
Steering Committee for Combating Smuggling, Trade Fraud, and Counterfeit GoodsThe Provincial Steering Committee 389 directed functional forces to strengthen patrols and controls to prevent, promptly detect, and strictly handle individuals illegally transporting pigs and pork products of unknown origin into the province.
Provincial PoliceDirecting functional units to investigate and monitor the situation, update the list of individuals showing signs of engaging in the illegal trading, transportation, and consumption of smuggled or suspected smuggled pigs and pig products; implementing educational, persuasive, and deterrent measures to proactively prevent such activities, while focusing on operational measures in coordination with other forces to arrest and severely punish cases of illegal transportation and consumption of animals and animal products; those of unknown origin; those without quarantine certificates; those evading quarantine via the North-South expressway and other national and provincial roads; and those selling diseased animals or discarding animal carcasses into the environment.
Department of Industry and Trade, Market Management DepartmentIn coordination with veterinary forces, police, and traffic inspectors, they handle cases of trading and transporting pigs and pork products without clear origin or without quarantine certificates in the market, in order to prevent African swine fever and other animal diseases.
Department of Information and CommunicationsDirecting news agencies and media outlets to intensify propaganda about measures to prevent and control African swine fever so that people can proactively apply preventive measures according to the guidance of specialized agencies in Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine.
Department of FinanceThe presiding body, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, shall advise on the allocation of funds 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; and shall plan to balance and supplement funds for the purchase of African swine fever vaccines to vaccinate pig herds.
Relevant provincial departments and agenciesBased on their functions, duties, and powers, they should proactively coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committees at the district level to decisively 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; the Directors of Departments; and the Heads of relevant provincial-level agencies to seriously and effectively implement this Directive.