On October 20, according to Mr. Nguyễn Phúc Tài, the head of the Animal Health Department in Bạc Liêu Province, farmers in the province are anxiously waiting for avian influenza vaccination. In Đồng Tháp, the Animal Health Department reported that only 10% of the approximately 2 million poultry have been vaccinated.
Similar to Bạc Liêu and Đồng Tháp provinces, in recent days, the veterinary sector in Sóc Trăng Province has only vaccinated chickens due to a shortage of 200,000 doses of vaccine for ducks. In Vĩnh Long, Ms. Ngô Mỹ Dung, head of the Animal Health Department in Vĩnh Long, stated that the total poultry population in Vĩnh Long is currently estimated at around 5 million.
As of October 10, 2005, over 420,000 doses of vaccine have been administered for the first dose of chicken vaccination, and more than 970,000 doses have been given to ducks. Due to the vaccine shortage, the remaining poultry must wait for the supplies to arrive before continuing vaccinations.
According to Mr. Đậu Ngọc Hào, Deputy Director of the Animal Health Department, if everything goes smoothly, by October 20, 260 million doses of avian influenza vaccine from China will arrive in Vietnam. If this schedule holds, provinces currently lacking vaccines may receive them by October 23, and the first round of vaccinations may extend until mid-November.
TRẦN ĐỨC – NGỌC DIỆN – QUỐC ANH
