The role of Zambia’s expansive Inter-agency Coordinating Committee (ICC) in supporting evidence-based vaccine and health sector programming

New vaccines, technologies, and regulations, alongside increased demand for vaccines, all require prioritization and coordination from key players within the vaccine sector. Inter-agency Coordinating Committees (ICC) support decision-making and coordination at the national-level and act as key drivers for sustainable improvements in vaccination programming. We employed a qualitative case study design to investigate critical success factors for the high routine immunization coverage in Zambia from 2000-2018. Qualitative data were collected between October 2019 and February 2020, including key informant interviews (n=66) at the national, provincial, district, and health facility levels. Thematic analysis was applied to understand the role of the Zambian ICC and its impact on the policy environment overtime. Throughout our study period, the Zambian ICC demonstrated the following improvements: 1) expanded membership to include diverse representation; 2) expanded scope and mandate to include maternal and child health in decision-making; and 3) collaboration with the ZITAG through distinct roles. The diverse and expansive membership of the Zambian ICC, along with its ability to foster government commitment and lobby for additional resources, supported improvements in immunization programming. The Zambian ICC holds considerable influence on government agencies and external partners which facilitates procurement of funding, policy decisions, and strategic planning.