Global National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group Meeting 2025, Marrakesh, Morocco. Photo courtesy of GNN Secretariat.

New report highlights the critical role of NITAG secretariats worldwide

The results of the first comprehensive global survey of how National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) secretariats are structured, funded and supported across different countries have been published by NCIRS Global Health in partnership with the Global NITAG Network (GNN).

A NITAG plays a critical role in supporting governments to make independent, evidence‑based decisions on vaccines and immunisation policies.  

In most countries, this work is supported by a NITAG secretariat, responsible for tasks including coordination, evidence review, meeting organisation and stakeholder liaison. However, the report highlights that this vital yet sometimes overlooked work does not consistently receive the recognition – or funding – it requires.
 

About the survey

NCIRS Global Health undertook an anonymous online survey of NITAG secretariats worldwide from January to February 2025, leveraging NCIRS’ experience in providing technical secretariat support to the Australian NITAG. Responses were received from 84 countries, representing all income levels and World Health Organization (WHO) regions.
 

Key findings

• NITAG secretariats operate with limited staffing, with around half reporting a workforce of less than one full-time equivalent staff member.
• Larger secretariats, and those that have been established the longest, were more likely to be funded exclusively through domestic government sources.
• Unmet funding needs were common across all settings, particularly for expenses related to NITAG meetings and secretariat staff training.
• Ongoing training and professional development are needed, but financial constraints often exist and secretariat staff may be overlooked for training opportunities in favour of NITAG members.
• NITAG secretariats in upper middle-income countries are challenged by a greater breadth of policy questions, with a smaller workforce, less funding, and less external technical assistance available compared to secretariats in countries in other income groups.
• Survey responses also show the early impacts of shifting global development and funding priorities, underscoring the vulnerability of some NITAG secretariat support structures amid ongoing global change.
   

Strengthening NITAG secretariats

In their recommendations developed in discussion with GNN stakeholders, the NCIRS Global Health team emphasise the importance of adequate funding to support the ongoing sustainability of NITAG secretariats, as well as learning and professional development opportunities for secretariat staff.

They also suggest:  

• expanding the technical role of NITAG secretariats
• establishing global standards and indicators
• expanding the NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool (NMAT) and other NITAG evaluation tools to include specific sub‑indicators for secretariats
• tailoring engagement and resources to better support secretariats in middle‑income countries address their specific challenges.
   

Global impact

Initial findings of the survey presented to the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) in March 2025 contributed to a call for greater domestic investment in NITAG secretariats within WHO meeting conclusions and recommendations.  

The survey results also informed an update to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form, contributing to capturing information on NITAG secretariat structures at a global level.  

Additionally, the survey findings were shared at the Sixth Global NITAG Network Meeting in Marrakesh, Morocco, where NCIRS presented to a worldwide audience.
 

Partnerships and contributors

The Global NITAG Secretariat Survey 2025 was undertaken jointly by NCIRS Global Health and the WHO‑supported Global NITAG Network with guidance from the GNN Steering Committee.  

NCIRS acknowledges the contributions of:

• NITAG secretariats who generously shared their experiences and operational insights
• WHO regional and headquarters teams supporting the Global NITAG Network
• partners and collaborators engaged in strengthening evidence‑based immunisation policymaking globally
• GNN Off‑Label Survey team at the Public Health Agency of Canada for their generous advice provided during the development of the survey
• the University of Sydney for providing the digital infrastructure that enabled delivery of the online survey.
   

Global NITAG Secretariat Survey 2025 – Final report