Directive No. 365/CT-TTg on implementing measures to prevent and control animal diseases

 DIRECTIVE

On Implementing Measures to Prevent and Control Animal Diseases

From the beginning of this year until now, animal diseases have been developing very complicatedly nationwide, causing serious losses to the livestock industry and affecting farmers' income and livelihoods. Foot-and-mouth disease has occurred in many provinces and cities, with some provinces having more than two-thirds of their communes affected by the disease; the disease has lasted for a long time and spread widely among cattle, buffalo, and pigs; particularly, the disease among pigs spreads quickly and causes high mortality rates. The blue ear disease in pigs caused significant losses in 2008 and 2010, and recently reoccurred in Ha Tinh at the end of February 2011. Avian influenza has occurred in seven provinces, and the world continues to warn about the risk of avian influenza related to the A(H) pandemic flu in humans.₅N |||₁on a person.

The main reasons for the occurrence and widespread spread of the disease are due to negligence and complacency in leadership and guidance work, as well as the lack of awareness in disease prevention and control among livestock farmers; low vaccination coverage, slow detection and handling of the disease, and in some places, concealing the disease and selling diseased animals, making disease prevention and control even more difficult, complex, and costly.

In order to immediately control and eradicate foot-and-mouth disease in livestock, avian influenza, and blue ear disease in pigs, and to resolutely prevent the spread of the disease, the Government Prime Minister requests localities and relevant ministries and agencies to focus on implementing the following urgent measures:

1. People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered municipalities:

a) Concentrate on directing decisively in localities where the disease is occurring; preventing and controlling animal diseases must be the top priority in leadership and guidance work at all levels of the Party committees and governments down to villages, hamlets, and villages. Mobilize forces and implement comprehensive preventive and control measures according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and specialized agencies for each type of disease to quickly encircle and extinguish disease outbreaks in each locality. The supervision and inspection of the destruction or compulsory slaughter of animals for use must be strictly monitored and carried out in accordance with the regulations of specialized agencies. Strictly handle according to the provisions of the law against violations in disease prevention and control work.

b) For localities without disease occurrences, they must proactively and resolutely direct the application of regular preventive measures as prescribed. When a disease outbreak is detected, it must be publicly announced, while simultaneously encircling the disease source, strictly controlling the transportation and sale of diseased animals outside the epidemic area, and preventing the spread of the disease.

c) Regularly direct all levels of government, specialized agencies, assign specific tasks to each unit and individual, establish mechanisms and policies to support, mobilize the people to implement comprehensive preventive and control measures. First, regularly publicize and take specific measures to support livestock farmers to actively vaccinate animals periodically, especially for dangerous infectious diseases that are required by law to be vaccinated; guide livestock farmers to apply biological safety measures in breeding, considering these as long-term and important measures to protect animals, reduce risks, and develop sustainable livestock farming.

d) Proactively use local budget reserve funds and central support sources to prevent and control diseases according to current regulations.

2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:

a) Establish inspection teams to check, inspect, urge, and guide disease prevention and control work in localities and promptly report to the Government Prime Minister on the results of disease prevention and control. Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment in the release of national reserves of foot-and-mouth vaccine and disinfectants to support localities in emergency disease prevention and control and replenish sufficient stock according to the regulations on national reserves.

b) Guide and supplement specific preventive and control measures for each type of disease.

c) Coordinate with the Ministry of Health to closely monitor avian influenza viruses and the situation related to human infection with A(H) flu to take timely measures.₅N |||₁to take timely remedial measures.

d) Cooperate with other countries and international organizations to continue monitoring and researching the changes in viruses causing foot-and-mouth disease in livestock, blue ear disease in pigs, and avian influenza to decide on the appropriate and effective use of vaccines.

3. The Ministry of Finance shall coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to study and propose adjustments to financial support levels suitable for personnel participating in disease prevention and control.

4. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to direct information dissemination and guidance for livestock farmers to implement preventive and control measures; commend exemplary cases; promptly identify and criticize localities, units, and individuals with a negligent attitude in disease prevention and control work.