Regional and global collaborations

NCIRS has partnered with WHO to provide direct support to the NITAG of Timor-Leste. This partnership is funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, from 2019 to 2024, and forms part of Gavi’s post-transition plan for Timor-Leste as the country proceeds towards achieving a self-sufficient and financially sustainable national vaccination program. 

NITAGs are multidisciplinary groups of national experts responsible for providing independent, evidence-informed advice to policy makers and program managers on policy issues related to immunisation and vaccines. More information on the Global NITAG Network is available here. Established in November 2015, the Timor-Leste NITAG advises the Ministry of Health on the protection of the Timorese people from VPDs through immunisation.

NCIRS joins other key WHO partners that provide direct support to NITAGs globally, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the ProVac Initiative and the Supporting Independent Immunization and Vaccine Advisory Committees (SIVAC) Initiative. 

NCIRS support to NITAG T-L mission 29–31 May 2019

An NCIRS delegation visited Dili, Timor-Leste, from 29 to 31 May 2019, to attend a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group Timor-Leste (NITAG-TL) meeting. This visit also provided an opportunity to meet with WHO, the NITAG-TL Chair and the Ministry of Health to discuss how NCIRS could support the NITAG-TL in their continued growth and contribution to immunisation in Timor-Leste. 

May mission
A photo from the NITAG T-L meeting, May 2019, including delegates from the Ministry of Health, NITAG-TL, WHO, NCIRS and Menzies.

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NITAG-TL visit to NCIRS, 2–5 September 2019

Dr Solange Fernandes, the NITAG-TL Secretariat, visited NCIRS from 2 to 5 September 2019. Dr Fernandes completed the NCIRS Vaccines in Public Health workshop at The University of Sydney, and toured NCIRS and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Dr Solange’s visit also provided an opportunity for NCIRS to learn more about the NITAG-TL, and plan for future collaborative work.  

NCIRS support to NITAG T-L mission 25–26 September 2019

An NCIRS delegation visited Dili, Timor-Leste, from 25 to 26 September 2019. This trip marked the official launch of the recently formalised five–year technical twinning partnership among NCIRS, WHO and the NITAG-TL, which is funded by the Gavi Alliance. NCIRS delivered an Evidence Based Decision Making Workshop to the NITAG-TL members, participants from the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and other implementation partners.
 

TL photo
NCIRS staff delivered a workshop in Dili, Timor-Leste, in September 2019. Workshop participants included members of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) Timor – Leste and the World Health Organization (WHO) staff.

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NCIRS support to NITAG T-L mission 4–8 February 2020

An NCIRS delegation visited Dili, Timor-Leste, from 5 to 8 February 2020. The delegation was joined by Professor Michael Gold, Paediatric Allergist and Immunologist from the University of Adelaide, global adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) expert and long-time NCIRS collaborator. Together, they delivered an AEFI Workshop: Strengthening surveillance and assessment of causality of AEFIs in Timor-Leste to the NITAG-TL members, participants from the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and other implementation partners. The team also toured the Ministry of Health and the National Hospital.

Timor Leste mission 29–31 May 2019
At the AEFI workshop (6–7 February 2020), from left to right Prof Kristine Macartney (NCIRS), Dr Virna Martins (NITAG-TL), Prof Michael Gold (University of Adelaide), Dr Sudath Peiris (WHO), Dr Lucy Deng (NCIRS), Dr Joao Martins (NITAG-TL & National University of Timor-Leste)

 

Last updated April 2023