Partnership
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SIVAC participated in the first Annual Regional Conference on Immunization in Africa, held in Harare, Zimbabwe. This was the opportunity to meet with countries and partners to discuss SIVAC progress and collaboration.
- SIVAC, in collaboration with WHO regional offices, finished collecting data for a questionnaire aimed at identifying the current and future needs of NITAGs in regard to material, training, and tools. Results will be available in January 2010. They will be presented and discussed during the SIVAC workshop January 21-22 bringing together members of existing and future NITAGS as well as international partners.
Countries
Cote d'Ivoire - On December 16, Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Public Health and Hygiene issued a decree to establish the "Côte d'Ivoire National Committee of Independent Experts for Vaccination and Vaccines" (Comité National d'Experts Indépendants pour la Vaccination et les Vaccins de la Côte d'Ivoire, CNEIV-CI). The decree also nominated the president, vice president, secretary, and members of the committee who will oversee the effort. The first meeting of the NITAG is scheduled for January 2010. Côte d'Ivoire is the first GAVI-eligible country in sub-Saharan Africa to set up such a committee.
Mongolia - As a follow-up to earlier discussions, the Ministry of Health of Mongolia issued a letter requesting the support of the SIVAC initiative in the establishment of a NITAG. SIVAC visited the country for a second time to present the process of designing the future committee by a local team, through the development of a concept paper.
Kyrgyzstan - The Kyrgyzstan team in charge of developing a concept paper to guide the establishment and functioning of the country's NITAG submitted a first version of the document to SIVAC. The SIVAC and Kyrgyzstan teams are currently reviewing the paper.
Lebanon - Following the visit of WHO EMRO and SIVAC in October 2009, the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon officially asked SIVAC to provide support in strengthening the country's NITAG. SIVAC and WHO EMRO are planning a second technical visit early 2010.
