In an effort to curb the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), government has officially launched its first-ever mass poultry vaccination strategy The announcement was made by the Deputy Director-General for Agricultural Production, Biosecurity and Natural Resources Management, Dipepeneneng Serage, during the AVI Africa conference last week.
“My job is to bring science and legislation together and allow farmers to farm without risking anyone’s health, while positioning South Africa as a net exporter of food,” Serage said. The HPAI vaccination plan rests on four critical pillars, which include controlled use of vaccines, biosecurity, traceability and surveillance. “Only registered vaccines will be allowed, with strict regulation of sales and use,” Serage said.
He added that said farmers also had to register and comply with defined biosecurity protocols, and adopt enhanced practices to prevent outbreaks. “Every vaccinated flock will be tracked to preserve export integrity, and constant monitoring will enable early detection and outbreak management. This is about ensuring the maximum benefit of vaccination with the minimum risk of the negative effects that come from uncontrolled use,” Serage said.
Three H5 vaccines have already been approved for immediate use, while an H7 vaccine is in development. The Department of Agriculture has also begun evaluating farms for compliance, with the first vaccinations expected to start within days.
“We have the data, we know which farms we’re starting with and now we have to start,” Serage said. “We hope science can evolve much faster so we can talk about HPAI vaccination freely.” Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen confirmed the urgency of the roll-out. “In response to HPAI, the department has launched an urgent, coordinated vaccination roll-out plan. This is the first time South Africa is deploying vaccines at this scale to combat avian influenza,” he said.
Steenhuisen said a multidisciplinary team of poultry specialist veterinarians from the University of Pretoria and the Agricultural Research Council has been deployed to high-risk areas. In addition, 50 animal health technicians have been appointed to support the programme, with training set to begin this week. “We’ve secured vaccine supply, ensured cold chain capacity, and are building in traceability and reporting mechanisms as part of a wider preparedness strategy,” Steenhuisen added.
The vaccination campaign follows South Africa’s suspension of poultry imports from Brazil (the world’s largest chicken exporter) due to a severe HPAI outbreak there. Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of the South African Poultry Association’s Broiler Organisation, welcomed news of the vaccination programme. “South Africa is facing a grave risk from the potential spread of bird flu. This move represents a major step forward for biosecurity in South Africa’s poultry industry and signals government’s determination to protect both public health and the country’s agricultural economy,” he said.
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