National Immunization Strategy (NIS)
WHO and partners developed the National Immunization Strategy (NIS) following adoption of the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), to guide immunization stakeholder action over the decade. IA2030 emphasizes immunization as an entry point for strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC). The NIS is designed for: better integration of immunization with other health interventions, UHC targets and national planning cycles; a focus on long-term goals with intermediary objectives and prioritized strategies; country ownership through inclusive design processes; a tailored approach to local and national context; and increasing reliance on domestic funding sources.
The NIS is a streamlined planning document focused on a 5-year strategic period. It defines:
- The immunization vision to be achieved over the long term (generally 10 years).
- Specific objectives to be achieved at the end of the strategic period (5 years). These are the intermediate outcomes along the way to achieving the vision.
- Priority strategies, consisting of a costed set of interventions to achieve the objectives, as well as the measures to mitigate against risks associated with the selected interventions.
The NIS guidance was first published in August 2021 and has now been updated to reflect the findings of the IA2030 mid-term review, with revisions strengthening integrated analysis and strategy, prioritization and sequencing, cross-cutting integration and monitoring and evalution. The updated guidance is part of a set of documents including:
1. NIS Guidelines: a step-by-step guide for country stakeholders on how to develop an NIS (also available in French):
The National Immunization Strategy (NIS) is a streamlined planning document that focuses on a strategic period of 5 years. Specifically, the NIS defines:...
2. NIS FAQs: further details and descriptions, including definitions of key concepts and terms (also available in French and in Russian)
3. NIS Annexes: further supporting documents, including templates and country examples, regularly updated
4. NIS.Cost Web Application: Developed by UNICEF a web-based decision-support platform for costing, budgeting, and financing analysis of National Immunization Strategies. Available here.
5. Annual Operational Planning (AOP) guidelines: guidance and tools to support the transition from the NIS into actionable tasks to be available shortly here.