DA: African swine fever vaccine finally available soon

A pig that died due to a disease is buried in Bago City, Negros Occidental.  (Photo courtesy of the Bago City Veterinary Office)

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting the commercial rollout of the long-awaited vaccine against African swine fever (ASF) to revitalize the local hog industry from adverse effects of animal disease.

In an interview on Friday, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the availability of the ASF vaccine for commercial use will further advance the government’s campaign to curb the spread of ASF.

“We expect that the vaccine will be available for commercial use within the year so we will no longer have a problem with ASF,” De Mesa said.

On Thursday, the DA announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would approve the vaccine for swine fever coming from Vietnam two weeks from now.

“[The] FDA and the DA are working very closely on this. We have good teamwork,” Agriculture Secretary Arnel de Mesa said on the sidelines of a Presidential Assistance for Farmers, Fisherfolk and Families event in Calabayog City, Eastern Samar.

De Mesa, also the spokesperson for the DA, said controlled vaccinations will be conducted to test the efficacy of the vaccine in two weeks’ time, with the Bureau of Animal Industry and the FDA jointly monitoring these activities.

He said select hogs will be inoculated to control the risk, and the FDA will give the go signal to carry out the next round of vaccinations once controlled trials yield “good results.”

Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines president Rolando Tambago said the “controlled use” of the vaccines will “greatly help the industry’s goal to increase local pork production” if it is successful.

While waiting for the availability of ASF vaccines in the country, Tambago said hog farmers should strictly implement biosecurity measures to protect hogs from infections.

FDA approval

The DA said the commercial distribution of the ASF vaccine would follow upon securing the FDA’s approval.

“The vaccine from Vietnam really works. So, that solves our problem,” Tiu Laurel said, adding this would stop the spread of ASF nationwide.

READ: ASF spreads to 4 more towns in Ilocos Norte 

De Mesa said the DA would study providing subsidies to hog raisers, particularly small or hog growers, in creating the mechanism for the vaccination drive.

“If ever such vaccine is effective, then government should subsidize, especially smallhold hog farmers,” Tambago said.

ASF is still present in the country, with the latest tally from the Bureau of Animal Industry showing active cases in eight regions in 10 provinces as of June 21.