The Ministry of Agriculture aims to have the country free of African Swine Fever (ASF) by the end of this year. To achieve this goal, a vaccine is being rolled out in three stages, with the initial stage starting in August.The Ministry of Agriculture aims to have the country free of African Swine Fever (ASF) by the end of this year. To achieve this goal, a vaccine is being rolled out in three stages, with the initial stage starting in August. Stage 1: Procurement of Vaccine The procurement process for the vaccine is in its final stages, and the vaccine is expected to be ready for distribution in August. The government is in the process of drafting the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the procurement, and the tender is expected to be issued in August, with the award being made in September. Stage 2: Rollout of Vaccine The rollout of the vaccine will begin shortly after the award of the procurement contract. The government aims to vaccinate all pigs in the country by the end of the year. Stage 3: Monitoring and Evaluation The government will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout. If the vaccine is successful in eradicating ASF from the country, the government will consider lifting the ban on the importation of pork and pork products. In addition to the vaccine rollout, the government is also taking other measures to control the spread of ASF, such as: * Implementing strict quarantine measures * Educating farmers about the disease * Providing financial assistance to farmers who have been affected by ASF
The Ministry of Agriculture aims to have the country free of African Swine Fever (ASF) by the end of this year, with a vaccine being rolled out this quarter.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Tuesday during a press conference after the State of the Nation that the procurement of the vaccine is in its final stages and is expected to be ready in August.
“We are in the process of drafting a TOR (Terms of Reference) and hopefully it can be tendered in August and awarded in September. The rollout should follow shortly after,” Tiu Laurel said during a briefing in Pasay City.
Currently, there is only one accredited anti-ASF vaccine from a company in Vietnam. Tiu Laurel said that a six-month trial would be conducted and if everything was fine and no problems were encountered, the vaccine would be approved for commercial use.
Meanwhile, Tiu Laurel said on concerns over Q fever that the government has sent a team to the United States to investigate the source of the infection.
After consulting with the US Department of Agriculture, Tiu Laurel said data indicated the imported goats likely contracted the disease in the Philippines.
“It appears that the disease is endemic here in the Philippines. However, it is not widespread and can be treated with available medications,” he said.
The agricultural director indicated that the assessment was still being validated, but that tests on goats from other areas were negative.
On the health of those who had treated the infected goats, Tiu Laurel said everyone was now in good health, adding that antibiotics were an effective treatment. “It’s very similar to a fever and is manageable.”
The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Animal Industry confirmed last month the first case of Q fever in the country, detected in a herd of imported goats in Marinduque.
Of the 94 goats imported from the US, 19 tested positive for the disease.
Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, and there is no cure or vaccine available for the disease. The DA said infected animals often show no signs of the disease, which can be transmitted to humans through goat products, urine, feces and milk.
