Vaccination began at a poultry farm in Puéllaro, north of Pichincha, a province that, together with Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Bolívar, Azuay and Imbabura, has recorded 17 detected and controlled outbreaks of avian influenza.
“We are taking the necessary measures to support the poultry sector, which is one of our main sources of supply of chicken meat and eggs. Vaccination will continue in the provinces where there were positive cases of the virus,” mentioned Andrés Suárez, Vice Minister of Rural Development, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG).
Vaccination will be carried out on farms that comply with the implementation of biosecurity measures, have registered their farms with the Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad), have a veterinarian responsible for the farm and negative results to diagnostic tests.
In addition, technicians from Agrocalidad and the PIATER Project, from the MAG Undersecretariat for Innovation, support poultry farmers with technical assistance and consultancies, as well as drawing up the cadastre, verifying biosecurity measures and registering farms to be part of the vaccination.
The Technical Subcommittee of the National Poultry Farming Commission analyzed the five initial vaccine proposals, of which two meet the technical requirements and are authorized for importation and supply in the country.
The executive director of Agrocalidad, Patricio Almeida, mentioned that avian influenza is not an isolated event in Ecuador, but is present in the American continent and its spread is intensified by migratory birds.
Finally, Suárez added that, in order to carry out actions to support the poultry sector, the MAG extended the animal health emergency declaration until May 27. In this way, actions will be carried out to counteract the effects of the presence of avian influenza in the country.
