National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) play a critical role in translating global immunization guidance into country-specific policies. Comprising of independent national experts, these bodies offer evidence-based recommendations tailored to local needs and contexts, enhancing trust in vaccines, protecting lives and strengthening public health outcomes. The Mauritius National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (MAUNITAG), established in 2018, has played a pivotal role in guiding the national vaccine policy. 

WHO and the NITAG Support Hub (NISH) perform the first external review of the MAUNITAG in February 2025, looking at the functionality and maturity level of the MAUNITAG.  This was followed by a three-day capacity building of new members on the MAUNITAG functioning based on existing standard operating procedures. 

MAUNITAG’s assessment utilized the updated NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool (NMAT), which evaluates seven key indicators, including independence, operations, and policy integration.  

The assessment highlighted several strengths of the MAUNITAG, including its diverse expertise, proactive engagement on emerging health issues, and strong collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and WHO. However, the evaluation also revealed key challenges such as limited institutional memory to allow adequate onboarding of new members and insufficient capacity for evidence-based recommendation processes to name a few. 

In her opening remarks of the capacity building workshop for onboarding new MAUNITAG members, Dr. Anne Ancia, WHO Representative in Mauritius, emphasized the importance of the evaluation: “This assessment will guide Mauritius to progress towards the Immunization Agenda 2030 goals and the maturity level will inform the development of a reinforcement plan.”

Speaking at the workshop’s opening, Dr. Fazil Khodaboccus, Acting Director of Health Services and former MAUNITAG Chair, highlighted “a core function of any NITAG is to advise national authorities on the surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases and the monitoring of the impact of immunization services, as well as on the monitoring of immunization and vaccine safety.” In the same vein, he praised the group's efforts since 2018: “The MAUNITAG has been instrumental in providing sound, evidence-based advice on vaccine introductions and schedule updates. I am confident that, with the right support, MAUNITAG can progress to a more advanced stage within 18 months.” 

Members of the MAUNITAG gained knowledge and skills on the process of preparing for Evidence to Recommendation; formulation of broad policy questions and development of Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcomes (PICO). They also learned to define criteria for prioritization; how to collect vaccine safety and efficacy evidence and summarization of evidence for decision-making.

Recommendations from the assessment include establishing a dedicated secretariat and sustainable funding, expanding membership to include more private sector and academic experts, and enhancing digital documentation. 

Within the spirit of nurturing South-South Cooperation, WHO, as a key stakeholder in the NISH project contributing to an Africa free of vaccine-preventable diseases, has secured the participation of six members of MAUNITAG in the 4th Vaccinology Course for NITAGs in May 2025. This will further strengthen the capacity of MAUNITAG to make evidence-informed decisions regarding vaccines and immunization practices.