The Perceived Value of Passive Animal Health Surveillance: The Case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Vietnam

Abstract

SummaryEconomic evaluations are critical for the assessment of the efficiency and sustainability of animal health surveillance systems and the improvement of their efficiency. Methods identifying and quantifying costs and benefits incurred by public and private actors of passive surveillance systems (i.e. actors of veterinary authorities and private actors who may report clinical signs) are needed. This study presents the evaluation of perceived costs and benefits of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) passive surveillance in Vietnam. Surveys based on participatory epidemiology methods were conducted in three provinces in Vietnam to collect data on costs and benefits resulting from the reporting of HPAI suspicions to veterinary authorities. A quantitative tool based on stated preference methods and participatory techniques was developed and applied to assess the non‐monetary costs and benefits. The study showed that poultry farmers are facing several options regarding the management of HPAI suspicions, besides reporting the following: treatment, sale or destruction of animals. The option of reporting was associated with uncertain outcome and transaction costs. Besides, actors anticipated the release of health information to cause a drop of markets prices. This cost was relevant at all levels, including farmers, veterinary authorities and private actors of the upstream sector (feed, chicks and medicine supply). One benefit associated with passive surveillance was the intervention of public services to clean farms and the environment to limit the disease spread. Private actors of the poultry sector valued information on HPAI suspicions (perceived as a non‐monetary benefit) which was mainly obtained from other private actors and media.

The use of animals as a surveillance tool for monitoring environmental health hazards, human health hazards and bioterrorism

“…However, because it relies heavily on reports from veterinarians who receive little incentive for reporting, the data reported is frequently incomplete and delayed. Underreporting of disease suspicions is also known to be a major cause of disease control failure (FAO, 2011) and multiple studies have been conducted to better comprehend the decisionmaking processes behind underreporting so as to develop recommendations for improved passive surveillance (Bronner et al, 2014;Delabouglise et al, 2016;Paul et al, 2013;Sawford et al, 2012;Thompson et al, 2016). In contrast, active surveillance demands more time and resources and is thus less commonly employed.…”

Game theory of vaccination and depopulation for managing avian influenza on poultry farms

“…These results highlight the importance of trade-based disease transmission and modulation of the timing of sale -two real features of smallholder livestock systems – on the epidemiological-economic equilibria of avian influenza circulating in a network of profit-maximizing farmers. Results of a sociological survey in Vietnam suggest that fast depopulation is one of the behavioral responses of farmers to HPAI, as respondents reported an increase in poultry sales during epidemic periods (15). The economic context of poultry farming in some endemic countries is favorable to depopulation in response to disease infection: chick and finished poultry are traded with limited equipment (motorcycle for transportation, storage of poultry at home or in enclosures of live bird markets) (29–31) which limits transaction costs associated with the sale and replacement of flocks.…”

“…Since the emergence and global spread of the H5N1 subtype of HPAI in 2003, interventions have mainly focused on strengthening avian disease surveillance, preventive culling of domestic birds in outbreak areas, and restrictions on poultry trade; in addition, Vietnam and China implemented mandatory poultry vaccination programs (13, 14). A socio-economic field study conducted in Vietnam showed that farmers fear HPAI detection by the surveillance system not so much because of the risk of mandatory culling but because of its adverse effect on the sale price of poultry (15).…”

Cultural Practices Shaping Zoonotic Diseases Surveillance: The Case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Thailand Native Chicken Farmers

“…Informal information networks get more and more recognition by public stakeholders and can significantly contribute to surveillance efficiency (Davies, ). In the commercial farming systems in Vietnam, it was found that information networks beyond the village scale were mainly mediated by private suppliers of veterinary services (such as veterinary shops, agro‐industrial companies, feed sellers) (Delabouglise et al., ). In the case of native chicken farmers of Thailand presented hereby, the developed networks are related to a recreational activity.…”