Six mobile ASF labs planned for P100 million
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it plans to deploy six mobile laboratory units (MLUs) worth P100 million to contain African Swine Fever (ASF).
Along with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the DA will deploy the MLUs to ASF-affected regions by March.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement that each mobile lab can be sent to any local government unit (LGU) where ASF is suspected. They will also serve as mobile veterinary schools to train LGU personnel in disease detection, prevention, and monitoring.
The BAI is also being tapped to manage Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratories that can confirm the presence of animal diseases through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.
“These laboratories just need to optimize processes to further strengthen the country’s animal diagnostic infrastructure,” BAI Director Reildrin G. Morales said.
The DA has also forged a partnership with science and veterinary group BioAssets Diagnostic Clinic to help contain ASF and other transboundary animal diseases.
BioAssets offers a project known as Brisk Response through In-location Diagnostics and Genome Sequencing (BRIDGES) which can isolate and characterize the ASF virus at a molecular level.
“BRIDGES may also be used to differentiate the field strain from vaccine strain, which may fast-track vaccine research development,” the DA said.
The project has an initial funding of P39.2 million from BioAssets and the Department of Science and Technology under the Science for Change Program.
The BAI and BioAssets have agreed to collaborate on biosecurity measures, provide onsite detection tools, and offer preventive diagnostics. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
