Directive No. 395/CT-BNN-TY on Strengthening Urgent Measures to Prevent and Control Avian Influenza

DIRECTIVE

Regarding Strengthening Urgent Measures to Prevent and Control Avian Influenza

From the beginning of 2012 until now, avian influenza has occurred in 30 communes and wards of 23 districts and cities in 12 provinces and cities including Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Thai Nguyen, Ha Nam, Bac Giang, Quang Tri, Thanh Hoa, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, and Bac Ninh. The total number of poultry affected, dead, and destroyed is 35,130, of which chickens account for 4,888 (13.90%), ducks for 29,876 (85.0%), and geese for 366 (1.0%). The main cause is that during this period, abnormal weather conditions have reduced the immunity of poultry flocks, while many flocks have lost their immunity or are newly raised; after Tet (Lunar New Year), activities such as transporting, slaughtering poultry, and people's movements in various local festivals have increased significantly...

Currently, the northern, central, and Central Highlands regions still lack suitable vaccines for prevention due to the mutation of the avian influenza virus, making the currently used vaccine (RE-5) ineffective. Therefore, the risk of the disease spreading further is very high. To quickly extinguish outbreaks and prevent the spread of the disease causing economic losses and affecting public health, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Head of the National Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza, requests the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities, and member ministries and sectors of the National Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza to focus on implementing preventive measures against avian influenza according to the contents of Circular No. 04/CĐ-BNN-TY dated February 5, 2012, with particular emphasis on the following points:

1. For the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities:

a) Concentrate all forces and means and implement decisive measures to quickly extinguish the disease and prevent its widespread spread. Strengthen early detection efforts, and when an outbreak occurs, immediately take samples for testing and destroy the infected poultry flock, clean and disinfect the affected area, and set up quarantine checkpoints to prevent the transportation of poultry and poultry products out of the affected area.

b) Improve and restore the operation of the prevention and control steering committees at all levels; assign specific responsibilities to individuals regarding prevention and control work; establish inspection teams to guide the implementation of prevention and control measures down to village level in high-risk areas. Direct relevant local agencies and the people to carry out a month-long campaign of cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of breeding environments and farms in accordance with the spirit of Circular No. 258/BNN-TY dated February 9, 2012, to eliminate pathogens and minimize the occurrence of new outbreaks, preventing the spread of the disease.

c) Strengthen strict supervision over the transportation and sale of poultry within the locality, strictly enforce inspections at the source, effectively control the transportation of poultry and poultry products in and out of the locality. Local authorities at commune level where avian influenza outbreaks occur must organize strict management of the outbreaks, prohibiting the transportation and slaughter of poultry within the affected area. Veterinary agencies and quarantine stations must closely communicate and cooperate with each other to effectively control the transportation of poultry.

For the Mekong Delta provinces, it is required to review all poultry eligible for vaccination within the province to provide supplementary vaccinations, particularly focusing on waterfowl, requiring 100% vaccination coverage for ducks of the appropriate age for vaccination; advise farmers not to raise free-range ducks during this period.

d) Increase information dissemination and education about the dangers of avian influenza, avoiding contact with and consumption of sick or dead poultry of unknown cause, and absolutely refrain from consuming raw poultry blood. When suspecting an avian influenza outbreak, immediately report to the competent authority and apply preventive measures to proactively prevent the spread of the disease and protect against human infection.

2. The Ministry of Information and Communications directs central and local propaganda agencies to widely educate the public about the dangerous nature of avian influenza and preventive measures. When an outbreak occurs, it must be reported to local authorities and veterinary agencies. Particularly, it is strictly forbidden to conceal the disease or sell diseased poultry, which could spread the disease.

3. Units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

- The Department of Animal Health strengthens disease surveillance, organizes sample collection in localities to determine the viral strain causing the disease, builds an epidemiological map of avian influenza viral strains in Vietnam, continues to test for suitable vaccines to serve disease prevention and control; organizes technical consultation meetings involving domestic and international scientists and managers to evaluate and advise on avian influenza vaccination programs, guiding localities to effectively use vaccines.

- The Department of Livestock Production issues guidance to localities on implementing hygienic livestock farming practices to prevent diseases and safe biological livestock farming to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

- The National Agricultural Extension Center strengthens guidance to provincial agricultural extension centers to coordinate with provincial animal health agencies to implement communication activities on disease prevention and control for livestock households and build models of safe biological livestock farming in localities.

- The Institute of Animal Health, the Livestock Production Institute, and the University of Agriculture and Rural Development in Hanoi are responsible for cooperating in disease monitoring, sequencing the avian influenza virus genome in some local outbreaks as directed by the Department of Animal Health.

4. Ministries and sectors that are members of the National Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza shall implement their assigned tasks and functions.

It is requested that the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities, and leaders of ministries and sectors that are members of the National Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza direct units to strictly implement this Directive and report to the National Steering Committee for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.

During the process of directing, if there are any difficulties, it is requested that the People's Committees of the provinces and cities, and the Ministries and sectors notify the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate and handle them promptly./.