Nhan Dan - Cold and humid weather breeds disease-germ carriers for domestic animals. To have a safe Tet (Lunar New Year) of the Rat, Dr Bui Quang Anh talked to Nhan Dan newspaper on measures to prevent bird flu and cattle diseases.

Q: What do you think about the situation regarding cattle and poultry diseases?

A: Bird flu has been developing in an ever complicated way both globally and regionally. In Vietnam, the disease occurred in those localities that have not taken strict measures to prevent it, in which, poultry has not been vaccinated as stipulated.

The disease, however, has been seen in scattered flocks of poultry with a slow spread of the disease, so a big loss has yet to have occurred.

Since the minister of agriculture and rural development and the head of the National Steering Committee for Bird Flu Prevention provided resolute guidance, all localities have taken tough measures to prevent the disease.

Over the last 14 days, there have been no new cases of bird flu reported in Tra Vinh province and Thai Nguyen province has had no reported cases for six days.

Foot and mouth disease has been controlled in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces while the blue ear disease (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) was not so serious in Bac Lieu province.

Q: The Year of the Rat is coming closer, many people worry about an outbreak of bird flu. Can you analyse the possibility of an outbreak of the disease?

A: The control of cattle and poultry diseases was much improved in comparison with last year. However, the risk of an outbreak of the diseases remains high. During Tet, the demand for meat increases sharply, resulting in an increase in transportation of poultry and cattle among localities.

At the same time, cross-border smuggling of cattle and poultry, and meat products remains a complicated issue and is hard to control.

In many localities, the vaccination rate of poultry is still low. Six hundred and sixty one out of 15,000 samples were tested positive to bird flu, or a rate of 5%. The rate is 1.75% for samples taken from markets.

It is not enough to protect ducks from bird flu if they are vaccinated once. Cold weather is a breeding ground for the disease to develop and spread. However, people have yet to provide enough care for the prevention of the diseases.

As a result, it is possible for the disease to occur during Tet, causing severe economic and health damage to the people.

Q: What measures have been taken so far to prevent the diseases and what are the difficulties to the control and prevention of diseases?

A: The National Steering Committee for the Prevention of Bird Flu and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have proposed suitable measures to the Government and provided effective guidance on the control and prevention of cattle and poultry diseases for localities.

As a result, bird flu, foot and mouth disease and blue ear disease have been controlled in a timely manner, resulting in a low number of localities having the diseases.

Solutions to the control and prevention of the diseases include increased bio-safety in animal husbandry, vaccination, disease control and prevention, and capability building for the animal veterinary service.

The biggest difficulty for the control and prevention is the fact that many localities have yet to completely implement the solutions. The control of the transportation and slaughtering of animals remain uncontrollable while the vaccination has yet to follow the guidance from authorised agencies.

Q: What solutions should be implemented at the moment?

A: In three weeks' time, the following solutions should be implemented: Specialised agencies in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and localities should promote their supervision of diseases, thus discovering in time new cases for a timely treatment to prevent the diseases from spreading.

An inter-ministerial task force should be established to control the transportation and fight the smuggling of animals and animal products.

At the same time, the sale and slaughter of animals should be tightly controlled.

Q: Do you think the development of diseases will affect the supply of food during Tet?

A: I think the amount of cattle and poultry will certainly meet demand during Tet. Because only 300,000 poultry, or equal to 0.28% were burnt, while only 70,000 pigs were burnt, equaling 0.08%.

Meanwhile, animal husbandry saw a high increase in 2007. At the same time, supermarket chains imported a significant amount of cattle and poultry products.

The main issue is how to ensure the transportation and consumption of animal products from producing localities to consumption areas that met food hygiene and safety requirements.

Therefore, measures should be taken to prevent the diseases.

Reported by Hai Phuong