Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38413276›Full record

ArticleVaccine2024

Region-wide assessment of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) using the NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool (NMAT) - Experience from the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization, 2023.

Gerald Etapelong Sume, Quamrul Hasan, Abigail Shefer, Louise Henaff, Kathleen F Cavallaro, Catherine B Tencza, Stephen C Hadler, Ndiaye Sidy, Parwiz Sardar, Benjamin M Kagina and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Vaccine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Gerald Etapelong SumeImmunization Vaccine Preventable Disease and Polio Transition Unit, Department of Universal Health Coverage Communicable Diseases, WHO Regional Office of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: sumeetapelongg@who.int.
Quamrul HasanImmunization Vaccine Preventable Disease and Polio Transition Unit, Department of Universal Health Coverage Communicable Diseases, WHO Regional Office of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: hasanq@who.int.
Abigail SheferCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: ams7@cdc.gov.
Louise HenaffDepartment of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB), World Health Organization, Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: henaffl@who.int.
Kathleen F CavallaroPartnership for International Vaccine Initiatives, Center for Vaccine Equity, Task Force for Global Health, Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: kcavallaro@icloud.com.
Catherine B TenczaPerformance Consultant, Tencza Designs, United States. Electronic address: cathy@tenczadesigns.com.
Stephen C HadlerPartnership for International Vaccine Initiatives, Center for Vaccine Equity, Task Force for Global Health, Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: shadler@taskforce.org.
Ndiaye SidyVaccine Preventable Disease, Universal Health Coverage/Communicable and Non-communicable Disease Cluster, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo. Electronic address: ndiayes@who.int.
Parwiz SardarEastern Mediterranean Public Health Network, Amman, Jordan. Electronic address: sparwiz@emphnet.net.
Benjamin M KaginaVaccines for Africa Initiative (VACFA) and NITAG Support Hub (NISH), School of Public Health (SPH) and Institute of Infectious Diseases & Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa. Electronic address: benjamin.kagina@uct.ac.za.
Yvan HutinDepartment of Universal Health Coverage Communicable Diseases, WHO Regional Office of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: hutiny@who.int.

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) are independent bodies that help improve national immunization programmes in decision making on immunization policy. The new NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool (NMAT) provided an opportunity to conduct a region-wide assessment to improve NITAG capacity and foster institutional growth. We share experience of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in using NMAT and the use of findings to develop improvement plans. NITAG chairs and secretariats from 22 EMR countries attended a virtual NMAT training in 2023. They self-assessed their NITAGs using the tool and developed improvement plans. An algorithm used the data to determine maturity levels for seven indicators. We consolidated results for the region by income groups. Of 22 countries (or NITAGs), 20 (91%) submitted NITAG assessment findings and 19 an improvement plan. The proportion of criteria met per indicator varied from 36% for independence and non-bias to 74% for establishment and composition. Maturity level varied by indicator. Of 20 NITAGs, less than half had an intermediate or higher-level maturity for the indicators of independence and non-bias 1 (5%), operations 3 (15%), making recommendations 4 (20%), stakeholder recognition 6 (30%), and resources and secretariat support 7 (35%). Meanwhile 11 (55%) NITAGs had an intermediate or higher maturity level for the indicators of establishment and composition and for integration into policy making process. Participants described NMAT as a concise, useful, user-friendly tool. NMAT is a practical tool that can be used by NITAGs to provide insights and strategic direction for individual countries and regionally. Prevention and management of conflict of interest is the domain that requires the most improvement in EMR. Planned activities should be implemented, monitored and a follow up assessment conducted in 2025.

Indexed as

Advisory CommitteesHealth PolicyHumansImmunizationImmunization ProgramsWorld Health OrganizationEastern Mediterranean Region (EMR)Maturity levelNational Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAG)NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool (NMAT)

Identifiers

PMID38413276
PMCPMC11007386

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.