Challenges Faced by Senacsa in Cattle Immunization Campaign Against Brucellosis | Updates from President Dr. José Carlos Martin

The president of the National Animal Health and Quality Service (Senacsa), Dr. Jose Carlos Martin, he admitted that there were several problems in the campaign against brucellosis. He explained that the vacuna antibrucélica RB51 short in almost the entire period, mainly for two reasons: there were delays in imports in general, this due to the lack of manufacturing capacity in various countries. He added that the problem is also due to the fact that it is a vaccine on which we depend 100% on imports, because it is not manufactured domestically.

He also explained that because a new supplier, who brought 15 series of 20,000 doses each one, the control was further delayed, since the Senacsa procedures in the control are considered the serial number, not the dose. Only in May 2023 were they able to control the 20 series, despite the fact that Senacsa’s annual operating plan is to control 25 series per year. That means that 80% of the year was controlled in one month. “We must recognize the great effort of the Senacsa Laboratory Directorate in trying to comply with the program,” he said.

Read More: Second period of vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease and brucellosis begins

Regarding the relabeling of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines, he admitted that Senacsa was already consulted about it in February of this year by Fundassa, during the first period about the relabeling process in a series of vaccines imported from Brazil.

He explained that he presented himself to the Fundassa the vaccine dossier and the certificate of free sale of the Ministry of Agriculture (MAP) from that country, with a 24-month warranty and the manufacturer’s technical note. He recalled that in recent years, Brazil made several modifications to limit and begin to remove from the market around 200 million doses of vaccines per year, within its vaccination lifting program.

In our country, both imported and national vaccines have a strict control of potency, purity, stability and others, a fundamental pillar of the program against foot-and-mouth disease. He added that Senacsa’s system makes it possible to control, in real time, the stock, by series, by expiration date, by brand and for each sales certificate, the use of the biological.