Paraguay aims for 'foot-and-mouth disease-free' status without vaccination: steps to improve animal health safety

The National Service for Animal HEALTH and Product Quality (SENACSA) is coordinating the process with the production sector, emphasizing the importance of shared responsibility for animal health and the sustainability of the industry. Joint efforts between government agencies and businesses allow for more effective control of the spread of foot-and-mouth disease and ensure the safety of livestock products.

Recently, a technical team from the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (PANAFTOSA) visited Paraguay to assess the current status and discuss the final steps of the transition plan. Key tasks include developing a national outbreak response plan and establishing a training program to strengthen epizootic surveillance.

Since 2017, the World Organization for Animal Health has recognized Paraguay as a vaccination-free territory for foot-and-mouth disease. However, this new status will open up additional economic opportunities by reducing vaccination costs and increasing the competitiveness of products in international markets. This will create additional incentives for the country, considering the experience of neighboring Brazil and Bolivia, which have already received similar certification.

The parliamentary program for transition to the new status also aims to establish a sustainable monitoring and control system, which will help improve animal health security. PANAFTOSA will continue to provide technical support to consolidate the achieved results and eliminate foot-and-mouth disease from the region.