Philippines to Roll Out ASF Vaccine as Early as April
With the commercial rollout of the ASF vaccine expected to start soon, the Philippine government's subsidy of the vaccine could be a crucial factor in determining the success of the vaccination program, as small hog raisers struggle to afford the costly vaccine, and the government's efforts to control the spread of the disease continue to evolve.
The Philippines is set to begin commercial African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccination as early as April, following ongoing limited government-controlled vaccination of domestic pigs, with Rep. Nicanor Briones urging the government to subsidize the vaccine to make it affordable for small hog raisers.
The ASF vaccine, priced at P12,500 per bottle containing 50 doses, is expected to be commercially available by the second quarter of 2025. However, Briones estimates that 6.3 million hogs need to be inoculated to stop the spread of ASF, and without government subsidies, a majority of hogs will remain unvaccinated, allowing ASF to continue spreading.
In Northern Samar, 14 confirmed cases of ASF have been reported in three towns, prompting the provincial government to intensify efforts to prevent and control the spread of the disease. The provincial government has launched field surveillance in the affected areas and is coordinating with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to enhance laboratory testing and rapid response capabilities.
The Philippine government's efforts to control the spread of ASF are crucial to preventing further economic losses to the hog industry, and the potential subsidy of the ASF vaccine could be a significant step towards achieving this goal, as the country prepares for the commercial rollout of the vaccine as early as April, with the ASF vaccine set to play a key role in the government's strategy to combat the disease.
