Vietnam will send 150,000 doses of its African swine fever vaccine to the Philippines although it has not yet been approved internationally, according to a report by its state media.
The illness, which does not affect humans, is highly contagious and fatal for pigs, and an outbreak is potentially devastating for the pork industry, experts say.
The shipment of the vaccine, developed by AVAC Vietnam (AVAC), is part of 600,000 doses ordered by the Philippine government, Vietnam News Agency quoted the company’s general director Nguyen Van Diep as saying.
Vietnam approved two African swine fever vaccines for domestic use in July 2023, saying it was the first country to do so.
But neither of the vaccines has been approved internationally.
In October 2023, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) issued a statement warning veterinary authorities and the pig industry of the “risk from use of sub-standard vaccines.”
It did not specifically mention Vietnam.
According to Vietnam News Agency, Diep said AVAC had already exported 300,000 doses to the Philippines in 2023. Other state media reports said this batch had been used for an “evaluation.”
The company is seeking approval for its vaccine in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar and Nigeria.
A team from the Philippines was in Vietnam earlier in the week to check on the production of the vaccines, he added, according to VNA.
Diep said 2.3 million doses have been used in Vietnam since July 2023.
According to media reports, authorities in Vietnam have been trying to encourage farmers to use the vaccine to prevent African swine fever from spreading among their herds.
The ministry of agriculture and rural development reported in mid-July that Vietnam had recorded 34,000 infected cases since the beginning of the year.
A 2018 outbreak of African swine fever in China—the world’s largest pork producer—caused millions of pigs to be slaughtered to stop its spread.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday issued a public advisory assuring the public that local pork is safe to consume despite the ongoing African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.
“Especially during the ‘ber’ months, pork sales are expected to rise. There’s no need to worry about ASF as it doesn’t affect humans,” said Representative Nicanor Briones at the Philippine Poultry Show and ILDEX Philippines Trade Fair.
In his message as the industry special guest representing livestock growers, Briones allayed the fears of consumers who expressed concerns about the safety of local pork amid the ASF scare.
Briones is optimistic that the arrival of an ASF vaccine would further alleviate concerns among consumers. He emphasized that the disease poses no threat to human health.
With this assurance, he expressed confidence that pork sales will rebound this holiday season.
He noted that current pork prices are low, with the farm gate price at only P150 per kilo.
To further demonstrate the safety of pork, Briones, along with other officials and special guests, including former Senator Vicente Sotto III and representatives from the Department of Health, sampled one of the country’s famous dishes, the lechon. Maricel Cruz. with a report from AFP.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Vietnam to send its swine fever vaccine to Philippines.”
