Seminar on African Swine Fever: Strategies to mitigate economic losses caused by ASF

On June 20th, a seminar on vaccination for African Swine Fever (ASF) was held in Nay Pyi Taw, focusing on strategies to mitigate economic losses caused by the disease.

Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Dr. Aung Gyi, delivered the opening speech, emphasizing the importance of establishing a national policy for the use of ASF vaccines.African Swine Fever was first detected in 32 African countries in 2005, with the disease spreading globally and reaching new regions, including its first detection in Myanmar in 2019.

Although ASF is not a zoonotic disease and poses no direct threat to public health or food safety, it significantly impacts the swine industry economically.As of 2022, no effective vaccines for ASF were available. However, in 2023, Viet Nam initiated trial manufacturing of two potential vaccines, marking a significant step towards combating the disease.

The seminar highlighted the urgent need for a vaccination policy to protect the swine industry and reduce the economic burden of ASF on farmers and the broader agricultural sector.