The appropriateness of vaccinating for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) varies from country to country, but for France, it was the right decision to make, said Bénédicte Béneult, agricultural counselor for sanitary and phytosanitary issues at the French Embassy in Brazil.
Béneult spoke of France’s decision to begin vaccinating ducks for HPAI during the forum, “Tackling High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Together,” hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. The event was held September 9-11.
In order to make sure if vaccination was feasible and proper, Béneult said, French animal health officials and other industry stakeholders examined the immediate costs of the epidemic situation of HPAI in France, then compared it to the sanitary, economic and commercial benefits the French poultry industry could have if vaccinations were done.
Béneult said from 2016 through 2023, approximately 40 million birds were lost. The cost for compensation and indemnity payments was about EUR1.6 billion (US$1.9 billion). The estimated cost for the actual vaccination campaign, she said, was EUR100 million, including the purchase of the vaccines, transportation costs, and costs associated with administration and surveillance.
“We also had to take into account all the other benefits – for the animals, for the well-being of farmers, veterinarians and veterinarian services,” she said.
Béneult said they were well aware that France could lose out on some export markets because of the vaccination program, but it is a decision most people involved feel good about.
“For sure, there was a compromise with the export risk and the risk of market closure, but with all of this information, finally, we knew that we have much more to gain than to lose,” she said.
If other countries want to consider an HPAI vaccination program, Béneult said, “for the strategy to be a success, the consultation process is essential.”
For example, in France, before a decision was made, a steering committee was formed, that involved public and private stakeholders, including farmers, scientific experts, commercial partners and representatives from the European Commission.
With such a broad group of stakeholders, Béneult said they were able to learn the “economic and social realities of the sectors to strengthen the legitimacy of the vaccination” and “facilitate the acceptance of the farmers.”