Vietnam is set to send 150,000 doses of its African swine fever vaccine to the Philippines on Thursday, as reported by state media, despite the vaccine not yet having international approval.
The disease, which is not harmful to humans but highly contagious and lethal for pigs, poses a severe threat to the pork industry, according to experts.
This shipment, developed by AVAC Vietnam (AVAC), is part of a larger order of 600,000 doses requested by the Philippine government, as reported by Vietnam News Agency citing AVAC’s general director, Nguyen Van Diep.
In July 2023, Vietnam approved two African swine fever vaccines for local use, claiming to be the first country to do so. However, neither vaccine has received international approval.
In October 2023, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) warned veterinary authorities and the pig industry about the “risk from use of sub-standard vaccines,” though Vietnam was not specifically named.
According to Diep, AVAC had already exported 300,000 doses to the Philippines earlier in 2023 for an “evaluation,” as mentioned in state media reports. The company is also seeking approval for its vaccine in several other countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar, and Nigeria.
A delegation from the Philippines visited Vietnam earlier in the week to inspect vaccine production, Diep stated, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
Diep further noted that 2.3 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in Vietnam since July 2023. Media reports indicate that Vietnamese authorities are encouraging farmers to use the vaccine to prevent the spread of African swine fever among their pigs.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that Vietnam has recorded 34,000 cases of infection since the start of the year. AVAC has not yet responded to AFP’s request for comment.
A 2018 outbreak of African swine fever in China, the world’s leading pork producer, led to the culling of millions of pigs to contain the spread of the virus.