Background
16 August 2019 - The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on polio eradication in Afghanistan and Pakistan is the principal advisory group for polio eradication for both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The TAG is an independent body charged with advising and making recommendations to each ministry of health and Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners on polio eradication programme policies, strategies and operations. It is convened by the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean on behalf of WHO Member States and the GPEI partnership.
TAG advises each ministry of health and GPEI partners on interventions needed to achieve the goal of polio eradication, specifically on the:
- overall adequacy of progress towards the achievement of the goal of stopping transmission of poliovirus;
- priorities to address major challenges to achieving and sustaining high and equitable vaccination coverage and sensitive surveillance at sub-national level;
- prioritized interventions to ensure adequacy of communications, community engagement and reduction in vaccine hesitancy and increase in vaccine demand;
- prioritized interventions to support adequacy of the routine immunization programme for achieving polio eradication; and
- prioritized interventions to support integration with other health services.
The WHO Regional Director and Regional Director for UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia will facilitate and provide oversight on implementation of the recommendations by the TAG.
Selection and rotation of membership
Members of TAG shall be appointed to serve for an initial term of 2 years, although accommodation may be needed to avoid replacing all members at the same time. This 2-year term may only be renewed once. TAG members will be selected in consultation with the GPEI Strategy Committee and appointed by the WHO Regional Director. Decisions for renewal of term will also be taken in consultation with GPEI Strategy Committee before re-appointment by the WHO Regional Director.
Expertise needed in the TAG
- Polio eradication
- Inactivated polio vaccine and oral polio vaccine vaccinology
- Immunization programme planning/management, implementation and monitoring
- Epidemiology/public health
- Virology
- Public health communications, including social media
- Community engagement and social mobilization
- Social and behavioural sciences in the immunization/vaccines area
- Disease modelling
- expertise on applying a gender lens to health programming in any of the above areas is of special interest to the programme.
Nominations of female candidates are particularly encouraged. Proposals for nominations should be sent by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with a curriculum vitae, indication of relevant expertise, and a completed declaration of interest form. In the subject line, write “Technical Advisory Group Nomination 2020”. Only complete nominations received by Friday 9 October 2020 will be considered.
Related links
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Information Note 22/2014: Declaration of Interest (DOI) Policy for Experts - CORRIGENDUM
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Forms to be completed by WHO experts
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Information for WHO experts
Annex A: Guidance to Experts in Connection with the Completion of WHO DOI Forms