The First Meeting of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG)

This morning, the first meeting of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) was held at the Ministry of Health, comprising experts from various medical and health sectors as well as international organizations.

The meeting was opened by Dr. Ali Abdul Karim Shiban, Minister of Health and Population, who emphasized the importance of the committee in bridging scientific research and health policies, especially in vaccination and infectious disease control. He highlighted the significance of comprehensive healthcare as an integrated system, including immunization against diseases, and pointed out the crucial role that NITAG will play in providing appropriate support.

The meeting was then chaired by Dr. Khaled Saad Al-Khamesy the head of the committee, who welcomed the attendees and expressed appreciation for the trust placed in the committee, as well as the significant tasks and responsibilities it has in providing technical consultations and scientific advice based on factual evidence for decision-makers in the ministry.

Subsequently, a series of valuable scientific presentations were made, including:

– An overview of the tasks of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG).

– The vaccination status: achievements, challenges, and strategic directions, including the national immunization strategy.

– Recent actions taken to verify the safety and security of vaccine test results.

– The epidemiological situation of vaccine-preventable diseases.

– A Zoom lecture on the outbreak of cVDPV2.

– Implementation of the “Great Recovery” strategy via Zoom.

The meeting concluded with recommendations aimed at:

– Enhancing cooperation among committee members through regular workshops.

– Establishing a central database for documenting research and studies.

The date for the next meeting was set for Wednesday of next week to follow up on the progress made.

Participants in the meeting included Dr. Mohammed Mohammed Al-Mansour, Deputy for Primary Health Care, and Dr. Abdul Malik Mohammed Al-Sanani, Deputy for Planning at the ministry.