HANOI:  , Vietnam will send 150, 000 doses of its African swine fever vaccine to the Philippines on Thursday ( Aug 28 ), state media said, although it has not yet been approved internationally.
An epidemic is potentially devastating for the bacon industry, according to experts, because the illness, which does not influence humans, is very contagious and deadly for pigs.
The shipment of the vaccine, developed by AVAC Vietnam ( AVAC ), is part of 600, 000 doses ordered by the Philippine government, Vietnam News Agency quoted the company’s general director Nguyen Van Diep as saying.
Vietnam, which claimed to be the first nation to do so, approved two American swine fever vaccines for home use in July 2023.
But neither of the vaccinations has been approved worldwide.
The World Organization for Animal Health ( WOAH) issued a warning to veterinary authorities and the pig industry in October 2023 about the “risk from use of sub-standard vaccines.”
It did not specifically mention Vietnam.
According to Vietnam News Agency, Diep said AVAC had now exported 300, 000 quantities to the Philippines in 2023. This shipment was used for an “evaluation,” according to reports from another state media outlets.
The company is seeking authorization for its vaccination in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar and Nigeria.
A crew from the Philippines was in Vietnam earlier this week to check on the vaccine manufacturing, he added, according to VNA.
Diep claimed that since July 2023, 2.3 million doses have been consumed in Vietnam.
Authorities in Vietnam have been reportedly trying to persuade farmers to use the vaccine to stop African swine disease from spreading among their animals.
Since the start of the year, Vietnam has had 34, 000 sick cases, according to a report from the ministry of agriculture and rural development in the middle of July.
AVAC did not respond to AFP’s request for comment right away.
Thousands of animals were slaughtered in order to stop the spread of African swine disease in China, the largest pork producer in the world, in 2018.