• Agency reiterates commitment to mandate
ABUJA – The Acting Director-General, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Yetunde Oni, on Thursday reiterated the commitment of the agency in ensuring the safeguard of the health of all Nigerians, as the agency received International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 17025 accreditation for its laboratory in Kaduna State.
The certificate followed those already issued the agency, namely laboratories in Oshodi, Yaba, Lagos State and Agro in Anambra, and will enable the Kaduna laboratory provide results that are “competent” and that will be recognized internationally.
The certificate tagged; “ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 accreditation certificate of NAFDAC laboratory Kaduna”, was presented by the Chief Execurive Officer of the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), Dr. Ronald Piervincenzi in Abuja.
Kaduna laboratory will take care of food and other consumables from North-West, North-East and North-Central parts of Nigeria.
Minster of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who received the award on behalf of NAFDAC said the agency had from its inception strengthened safety of pharmaceutical products, and other consumables in the country.
“I am happy that NAFDAC has been producing credible and timely results. I urge you not to rest on your oars but to be more diligent and dedicated in discharge of your duties. This administration will continue to support you in your ability to ensure safety of lives in Nigeria.
“I want to urge you to build on this feat and protect public health so as to be an examplary agency. The agency should not be limited to pharmaceuticals alone but should be extended to other products under its supervision”.
Ehanire urged NAFDAC to continue to be transparent and courageous in discharging its duties, and that the present government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari would continue to support the agency to ensure that only regulated products were used in Nigeria.
Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mrs Yetunde Oni, said the process for getting the Kaduna laboratory accredited started in November 2015 with assessment of facilities by experts from United States of America.
Oni said other laboratories in the country such as the one in Maiduguri, Port-Hacourt and Yaba were awaiting accreditation, adding that government is optimistic they would be accredited before the end of this year.
She said the new certification would enable the laboratory conduct tests such as High Liquid Performance Chromatography food products, dissolution test and ultra violent, among others.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of United States Pharmacopeia (USP), Dr Ronald Piervincenzi, said that the accreditation was a great achievement for NAFDAC.
Piervincenzi said that the development was an indication that the agency was committed to the fight against unwholesome and counterfeit drugs in the country.
He said that this would also help to ensure quality drugs for a topical disease like malaria.
According to him, USP was committed and will continue to provide technical assistant to NAFDAC, as well as promoting quality medicine and medical products.
