Regional Hub to Provide Scientific and Technical Support on Evidence-Informed Decision-Making for Vaccines in the WHO AFRO region

In the WHO AFRO, there is a need for sustainable mechanisms to provide scientific and technical EIDM support for vaccines and immunisation. We propose to establish a Regional Scientific Hub (RSH) to support NITAGs with EIDM.

The RSH’s mission is to enable NITAGs in the WHO AFRO to strengthen EIDM with respect to vaccines and immunisation practices. The RSH will offer the EIDM support to NITAGs in close collaboration with the WHO.

Public health professional members working within immunisation programmes, technical partners and other health groups will also be supported by the RSH.

The support provided by RSH will strengthen the effectiveness of African NITAGs, resulting to an enhanced access to existing and new vaccines in the region.

Through the provision of the EIDM support, the RSH key goals are: - Enhance access and use of EIDM resources and tools by members of NITAGs - Empower NITAGs to produce timely and independent evidence-based recommendations that inform national decisions on vaccines - Foster an increased national ownership of immunisation programmes in the region. - Accelerate the strengthening of national immunisation programmes Achieving these goals will result to increased immunisation rates and improved introduction of new vaccines in the WHO AFRO.