NITAG Lao PDR

Status: Active

Strengthening evidence-based immunisation decision-making in Lao PDR

Lao PDR is strongly committed to achieving universal health coverage, including ensuring equitable access to routine and other essential immunisation services. However, as external funding for immunisation programs declines, maintaining sustainable, effective and equitable vaccine programs presents increasing challenges.

This changing landscape highlights the need to strengthen national capacity and systems to generate, assess and apply evidence to guide health financing and immunisation policy decisions. Building these capabilities will support sustainable, cost-effective approaches that maximise health impact for communities across Lao PDR.

The Lao PDR National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) Project aims to support evidence-informed decision-making within the national immunisation program by strengthening processes for vaccine portfolio review and building technical capacity within the Ministry of Health (MoH), Unit for Health Evidence and Policy (UHEP), and NITAG. Through targeted technical support and knowledge exchange, the project will enable Lao PDR stakeholders to independently undertake similar evidence reviews and analyses in the future.

Building on the Lao–Australia Evidence for Policy Immunisation (LA:EPI) Project

This project builds on the Lao–Australia: Evidence for Policy Immunisation (LA:EPI) Project, funded through an Australian Government ARIA DFAT grant (2023–2024) and coordinated by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in partnership with Lao PDR stakeholders.

Implemented over 18 months, LA:EPI delivered six in-country workshops and provided technical assistance to strengthen evidence-based immunisation policy decision-making during Lao PDR’s transition from Gavi support.

Key areas of work included:

·       Review of the existing Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)

·       Assessment of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine options and dosing schedules

·       Review of the transition from two-dose to one-dose HPV vaccination

·       Consideration of rotavirus vaccine introduction

The project also supported the Ministry of Health and UHEP to establish formal processes for evidence-based health policy analysis. This included strengthening the NITAG through updated terms of reference, standard operating procedures, and support for advocacy and stakeholder engagement around recommended immunisation program changes.

Lao PDR NITAG Project under ReALiSE

Under the Regional Alliance for Learning in Systems for Equitable Child and Adolescent Health (ReALiSE), the Lao PDR NITAG Project will focus on strengthening national systems, technical expertise and regional collaboration to support sustainable immunisation decision-making.

Key areas of focus include:

·     Strengthening NITAG systems through revised terms of reference and standard operating procedures to support independent, domestically financed decision-making

·      Building technical skills and capability among in-country immunisation and policy personnel

·       Supporting participation in WHO regional meetings, Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) visits and international conferences to strengthen technical knowledge and leadership

· Expanding collaboration with Australian partners, including the Australian Immunisation Partnership (AETAP PPI), MCRI, the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), and the University of Melbourne (UoM), providing access to specialist expertise and networks

Technical support and capacity strengthening

Technical assistance will include:

Research and professional development

·    PhD supervision and conference participation to strengthen long-term technical leadership

·    University of Melbourne PhD project: “A model on how to support the capacity development of low- and middle-income country National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) – using the Lao PDR example”

·     Principal supervision by Professor Fiona Russell, with Professor Nigel Crawford as co-supervisor

·       Mentorship and collaboration with the NITAG Secretariat Coordinator

Evidence-informed immunisation policy support

·      Support for attendance and presentations at WHO regional meetings focused on NITAG strengthening, immunisation policy and data-informed decision-making

·   Clinical vaccinology and vaccine safety support to strengthen evidence-based immunisation policy processes in Lao PDR

·  Monthly vaccine safety-focused teleconferences and knowledge exchange sessions

Strengthening vaccine safety systems

The project will support the development of clinical vaccinology and vaccine safety capacity at two hospitals in Vientiane:

1.      Children’s Hospital (paediatric services)

2.      Mahosot Central Hospital (adult services)

Additional activities will include:

·      Visit by Lao PDR NITAG and Ministry of Health representatives to Melbourne to discuss immunisation policy priorities, research needs and opportunities for collaboration with MCRI

·   Visit to Canberra to visit the TGA laboratory, and attend and observe ATAGI meetings and learn from Australia’s immunisation advisory processes

Project partners and support

This project is led by Professor Nigel Crawford, Group Leader of the SAEFVIC Group at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, in collaboration with:

·       Lao PDR Ministry of Health

·       Mahosot Hospital, Lao PDR

·       Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU)

·       University of Health Sciences, Lao PDR

This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region Initiative.