The 7th South-East Asia Region Immunisation Technical Advisory Group meeting took place in New Delhi from June 6th to 10th . During the meeting, and for the first time in such a meeting, participants received an update from each country NITAG chair/Representative of the Chair on the progress of GVAP implementation in their countries. The WHO SEARO shared a report on the progress, the Region made since 2008 in the establishment of NITAGs in the Region. The meeting recognized the prominent role that NITAG should play in the decision making for the respective immunization programmes at national level and specifically the added value of the Regional NITAG Network. The SEAR is the first region to have established a NITAGs Network.
The meeting issued the following recommendations for NITAGs:
- NITAGs’ capacities to provide guidance on evidence-based approaches to strengthen immunization systems and services should be further enhanced by sharing country experiences, best practices, and resources as well as by peer-to-peer technical assistance, through the “SEAR NITAG NETWORK “with support of technical agencies and development partners, aimed at providing a functional secretariat.
- NITAGs should provide an annual report to SEARO through the respective Government and WHO Country Office on their functioning using a standardized reporting format which should be reviewed at the ITAG meeting. In addition, individual NITAGs may consider use of the WHO Collaborating Centre tool for periodic evaluation of functionality.
- NITAGs to consider inviting SEAR-ITAG members, regional TAG members (RCCPE, RVC etc), SAGE members in the respective countries to participate in their meetings
- The role of NITAGs should not be limited to consideration of recommendations for introduction of new vaccines, but should also extend to strategies for optimization of the use of the existing vaccines and strengthening immunization programs
