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Francisco Javier Trujillo Arriaga, chief director of the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA), indicated that the veterinary services of the three countries are working together in a ongoing, organized manner to perfect a proven system that has worked for cases such as Classical Swine Fever. He indicated that effectively preventing the ASF threat calls for organized collaboration on all procedures, disciplines and mechanisms to achieve efficient detection and reporting in the case of an outbreak.
Recounting the first forum held in Ottawa, Canada, the head of Canada's veterinary services, Jaspinder Komal, noted that it is crucial to establish partnerships that act together to implement peer standards for prevention and join in research efforts. He explained that in the first forum, agreements were made to take actions in the prevention of ASF in North America, such as promoting efficient communication, protecting borders against the disease, and encouraging producers to increase biosecurity on their farms. He considered it necessary to include other nations in global research to develop a vaccine against ASF, and reported that rapid response efficacy tests are already being carried out to detect the disease.
The expectation for the second forum is to establish a standing group of experts in ASF for the American continent, which through existing structures and associations includes the veterinary services of the countries and institutions such as the Ibero-American Pork Organization (OIPORC) and the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA). In addition, sub-regional task forces, such as the ASF Working Group of the North American Animal Health Committee will be integrated.
Priority topics for the Mexico forum include border inspection procedures, ensuring laboratories are equipped for timely ASF diagnosis, establishing risk communication strategies, and universalizing farm biosecurity measures so that they can be incorporated into day-to-day production and mobilization procedures. Through communication, these measures can deepen the awareness of the sectors of interest.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019/ SADER/ Mexico.
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