AMP Supports the Creation of a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group in Côte d'Ivoire

Paris (ots/PRNewswire) - On January 15, the Minister of
Health and Hygiene of Côte d'Ivoire, Dr. Rémi Allah Kouadio, presided
over a ceremony to mark the launch of a National Immunization
Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) named "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).

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100125/374937 )

The NITAG was created following recommendations from the World
Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) to strengthen national capacity for evidence-based policy
decisions with regard to immunization and vaccines.

Côte d'Ivoire is the first GAVI-eligible country in sub-Saharan
Africa to set up such a committee. It was established with the
support of the SIVAC (Supporting Independent Immunization and Vaccine
Advisory Committees) Initiative, implemented by the Agence de
Médecine Préventive (AMP) in partnership with the International
Vaccine Institute (IVI). The initiative, which is funded by a grant
from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to support the
creation or strengthening of sustainable NITAGs in GAVI-eligible and
middle-income countries.

The NITAG's role is to advise the Ministry of Health in Côte
d'Ivoire on all topics related to vaccines and immunizations. This
includes, for example: vaccination policies and strategies,
introduction of vaccines, prioritization of new vaccines, revision of
vaccine schedules, and immunization coverage.

The committee is composed of three types of members: independent
national experts from a wide range of disciplines (core members),
representatives from state agencies (ex-officio members), and
representatives from partner institutions (WHO, UNICEF, AMP). Only
the first group is allowed to vote.

The committee is co-chaired by Janine Tagliante-Saracino,
professor of public health, and Emmanuel Bissagnene, professor of
infectious diseases. The National Institute for Public Hygiene
(Institut National d'Hygiène Publique, INHP) will act as the
scientific and technical secretariat of the committee.

"SIVAC will now establish a multi-year agreement with the INHP to
provide technical and scientific support to ensure that the committee
will be able to make evidence-based recommendations on a sustainable
basis," said Kamel Senouci, SIVAC director.

RELATED LINKS
AMP: http://www.aamp.org
IVI: http://www.ivi.int
SIVAC: http://www.sivacinitiative.org
CONTACT
For more information, please contact:
Agence de Medecine Preventive: amp@aamp.org

ots Originaltext: Agence de Medecine Preventive (AMP)
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
CONTACT: Sabrina Gaber, AMP, Tél : +33(0)1-5386-8924,
sgaber@aamp.org