Directive No. 3599/CT-BNN-VP on Strengthening Measures to Prevent and Control Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) which is Increasing

DIRECTIVE

STRENGTHENING THE WORK TO PREVENT AND CONTROL FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE WHICH IS SHOWING AN INCREASING TREND

According to the report from the Veterinary Department, foot and mouth disease (FMD) is currently occurring in 37 communes under 11 districts of 6 provinces (Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Yen Bai, Ninh Binh, and Thai Binh), with 600 infected livestock. Thus, apart from the North Central region and the northern mountainous area, FMD has appeared in some Red River Delta provinces where there is a high density of livestock and frequent trading and transportation of livestock. Meanwhile, from now until Tet (Lunar New Year), the transportation and trade of livestock across the country are increasing, therefore, FMD has a risk of spreading widely and causing significant damage if it is taken lightly, neglected, and not actively prevented and controlled.

To quickly extinguish the FMD outbreak, prevent its spread, protect and develop animal husbandry, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development requests the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to implement the following urgent measures:

I. FOR PROVINCES WITH CURRENT OUTBREAKS.

1. Seriously review the implementation of preventive measures carried out in recent times to draw lessons and continue to strictly and promptly carry out prevention work; for outbreaks that have not been thoroughly addressed, immediately carry out the compulsory slaughter or destruction of infected livestock.

2. Set the goal of not allowing new outbreaks to occur within the province.

II. FOR ALL PROVINCES AND CITIES.

1. Maintain and strengthen the operation of the Local Steering Committee for Preventing and Controlling Animal Diseases and ensure regular meetings.

2. Assign epidemic surveillance responsibilities to commune-level authorities, village chiefs, and veterinary officers to monitor each household raising livestock, detect new outbreaks early, and report promptly to the district and provincial People's Committees and local veterinary agencies; no concealment of epidemics is allowed.

3. Upon detection of livestock infected with FMD, the provincial or municipal People's Committee must declare an epidemic, organize the compulsory slaughter and destruction of infected livestock under the supervision of the veterinary agency; isolate the commune with the outbreak, conduct sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization in the affected area and neighboring communes; set up temporary quarantine checkpoints on traffic routes in the affected communes; prohibit the transportation, slaughtering, and trading of livestock and livestock products in the affected area; strengthen quarantine and control of transportation to prevent the spread of the epidemic to other areas within the province or city or to other provinces and cities. Implement timely support to livestock raisers according to Decision No. 719/QD-TTg dated June 5, 2008 of the Prime Minister on policies to support the prevention and control of animal diseases.

4. Organize extensive and deep propaganda about the nature, characteristics, harm, and preventive measures against FMD to raise awareness and provide knowledge for livestock raisers, traders, transporters, and butchers to actively participate in preventing and controlling the epidemic.

5. Review the results of vaccinating livestock herds in the province or city, strictly direct and urge the implementation of FMD vaccination work as prescribed, requiring the vaccination rate to exceed 80% of the total herd in the vaccinated area. Areas that have not performed well in vaccination work and frequently experienced outbreaks need to seriously draw lessons.

6. Inspect and audit the use of FMD vaccines from state budget sources, ensuring no vaccine stockpiling or expiration leading to waste.

7. The People's Committees of provinces and cities should inspect and strictly handle units and localities concealing epidemics, detecting them late, and causing their spread, as well as organizations and individuals causing the emergence and spread of epidemics.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requests the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to implement this Directive effectively. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, they should report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for joint resolution./.