May 3, 2010

Philippines soon to be declared FMD-free

 
Members of the Philippine College of Swine Practitioners (PCSP) believe that the Philippines may finally be declared free of the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in August this year.

Dr. Zosimo de Leon, the current chairman of the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) and a member of the PCSP said they had been informed by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) that the World Animal Health Agency, better known by its French name Organization Internationale de Epizooties (OIE), may finally declare the entire Philippines FMD-free.

The province of Luzon would specifically be declared FMD-free without vaccination.

The regions of Visayas and Mindanao have already been FMD-free for a couple of years.

De Leon said the final declaration of the entire Philippines as FMD-free would be possible once Luzon is cleared by the OIE in August this year.

Achieving an FMD-free status would finally allow the Philippine pork sector to go ahead with its long-delayed plans to tap the export market.

The Philippines had re-submitted its application to be declared FMD-free earlier this year.

The province of Luzon has actually been FMD-free for almost two years, but with vaccination.

Unfortunately, the continued use of vaccination by some hog farms in Luzon disqualified the region from being declared FMD-free.