Tuyen Quang strengthens measures against African Swine Fever

On August 22, the Tuyen Quang Provincial People’s Committee held an online conference to accelerate measures for the prevention and control of African Swine Fever (ASF).

Overview of the conference.

The event was chaired by Hoang Gia Long, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, with the participation of leaders from departments, agencies, related units, and 124 local venues across communes and wards.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, between early July and August 20 the province recorded multiple outbreaks, leading to the culling of 79,972 pigs across 7,819 households in 1,438 hamlets of 114 communes. The epidemic has affected about 6.3% of the province’s pig herd. With the virus’s strong resistance and ability to survive for long periods in the environment, the risk of rapid and large-scale transmission remains extremely high.

In response, the Provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee have directed urgent measures, including isolating and handling outbreaks, tightening control over transportation, slaughtering, and trading of pigs and pork products, and setting up temporary quarantine checkpoints in affected areas. Disinfection efforts have also been scaled up, with more than 13,779 liters of chemicals and nearly 3,909 tons of lime powder used to sanitize farms, barns, and surrounding environments. Media outlets have intensified communication campaigns to raise public awareness and encourage proactive disease prevention.

At the conference, representatives from localities reported ongoing challenges, particularly a shortage of grassroots veterinary staff, and proposed timely support policies to help farmers overcome losses and stabilize production.

Delivering his directive at the conference, Hoang Gia Long, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, emphasized that authorities at all levels must tighten disease surveillance and strictly implement biosecure farming practices. Rapid response teams should be established to promptly handle outbreaks, and training courses organized to strengthen the capacity of grassroots veterinary staff.

He assigned the Department of Agriculture to coordinate with the Department of Finance in advising on the allocation of contingency funds to support localities in disease prevention and control. Around-the-clock checkpoints must be reinforced, and strict measures taken against concealing outbreaks or selling infected pigs. At the same time, all available resources should be mobilized to contain and eliminate the epidemic as soon as possible, thereby stabilizing production and protecting the livelihoods of farmers.

Nguyen Yem