NISH and Partners successfully facilitated a 5-day training workshop in Windhoek, Namibia

Namibia established a NITAG in February 2023. The Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services (MHSS) requested support from the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen the newly established NITAG. The WHO invited the Taskforce for Global Health (TFGH), the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (US CDC) and the NITAG Support Hub (NISH) to facilitate a 5-day NITAG workshop at the Protea Hotel, in Windhoek, Namibia, from 24 – 28 April 2023. The goal of the workshop was to strengthen the capacity of Namibia NITAG (N-NITAG) members and Secretariat. The workshop focused on the mode of functioning of N-NITAG and Evidence-Informed Decision-Making (EIDM) for vaccines and immunization.

The workshop kicked off after the official opening remarks delivered by the WHO Representative to Namibia (Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses), NISH Director (A/Prof Benjamin Kagina) and the Namibian Deputy Minister of Health & Social Services (Hon. Dr. Esther Muinjangue). The format of the workshop included presentations by facilitators and group work sessions. Key topics covered during the workshop were: the roles, responsibilities, and mode of functioning of NITAGs, vaccinology and immunology concepts relevant for decision-making, evidence searches for decision-making, and the Evidence to Recommendation (EtR) process.

The 5-day workshop sessions were facilitated by members from WHO, US CDC, TFGH, and NISH. The facilitators from NISH were Edina Amponsah-Dacosta, Chantel Le Fleur-Bellerose, Susanne Noll, Julie Copelyn, Gregory Hussey, and Benjamin Kagina.

Based on the evaluations, feedback from N-NITAG members and the Secretariat as well as the facilitators, the workshop was a success. A key goal of the NISH is to work with partners in strengthening the capacity of African NITAGs in vaccinology, EIDM, mathematical modelling, health economics, design thinking and health systems.