Title: Scaling-up the development of national immunisation technical advisory groups in the Economic Community of West African States: role of a regional organisation, the West African Health Organisation

Authors: Lara Gautier; Papa Coumba Faye; Kamel Senouci; M. Yves Armand Mongbo; Johanna Austin Benjamin; Isabelle Wachsmuth; Bradford D. Gessner

Addresses: Agence de Médecine Préventive, 01 BP 112, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso ' Agence de Médecine Préventive, 08 BP 660, Abidjan 08, Côte d'Ivoire ' Agence de Médecine Préventive, 164 rue de Vaugirard, Paris 75015, France ' Primary Health Care and Disease Control Department, West African Health Organisation, 01 BP 153, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso ' Primary Health Care and Disease Control Department, West African Health Organisation, 01 BP 153, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso ' Knowledge Management and Sharing Department, World Health Organization, 20, Avenue Appia, CH1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland ' Agence de Médecine Préventive, 164 rue de Vaugirard, Paris 75015, France

Abstract: The need for evidence-informed decision making in immunisation programmes has become crucial, especially in West Africa where countries face limited human and financial resources. Establishing national immunisation technical advisory groups (NITAGs) may help strengthen the national decision-making. A survey and literature review helped define the role of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) in piloting a regional approach for supporting countries in creating NITAGs. In 2011, a collaborative structure was set up to conduct the initiative, including WAHO as the leader, the supporting immunisation and vaccine advisory committees (SIVAC) initiative, and the evidence-informed policy network (EVIPNet) programme of the World Health Organization (WHO). During 2013, this process achieved its first successes with the official creation of NITAGs in Senegal and Benin. Eight other countries of the Economic Community of West African States have formally expressed their commitment at the highest political level of their respective governments to the process of establishing NITAGs.

Keywords: West Africa; immunisation and vaccine advisory committees; evidence-informed decision making; national immunisation; technical advisory groups; NITAGs; West African Health Organisation; WAHO; policy networks; healthcare management; Senegal; Benin.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBHR.2013.058855

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research, 2013 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.222 - 241

Received: 27 Feb 2013
Accepted: 04 Oct 2013

Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article