Providing guidance to countries for immunization strategies
Immunization campaign
Overview
In May 2012, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Vaccine Action Plan 2011–2020 (GVAP), a global framework that builds on its predecessor, the Global Immunization Vision and Strategy 2006–2015 (GIVS). GVAP offers a broad range of strategies and activities and establishes new goals for achieving the Decade of Vaccines’ vision of a world in which all individuals and communities enjoy lives free from vaccine-preventable diseases.
A Regional Framework has been developed to incorporate all global immunization goals, define region-specific goals, and translate the strategies and activities recommended by GVAP to the context of the Western Pacific Region. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Immunization and Vaccine-preventable Diseases guides the implementation of expanded programme of immunization (EPI) strategies in the Western Pacific Region.
GVAP and the Regional Framework call for all countries to establish or have access to a national advisory committee on immunization (NITAG) to guide immunization policies at country level. NITAGs are multidisciplinary groups of national experts responsible for providing independent, evidence-informed advice to policy makers and programme managers on policy issues related to immunization and vaccines.
Key facts
As of 2017, 14 countries in Western Pacific region have established a national advisory committee on immunization (NITAG).
