By Thompson ABISOLA
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it will collaborate with the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) to build human and systems capacity toward improved access to healthcare in Nigeria.
The Director-General of SON Osita Aboloma said this in a statement signed by Mr Bola Fashina, Head, Public Relations of SON in Abuja on Sunday.
Fashina said Aboloma gave the hint when the Director-General of NIPRD, Dr. Peter Adigwe visited the organisation on a working visit.
Aboloma promised to provide necessary concessions to NIPRD in terms of training of its officials on International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) Quality Management Systems (QMS).
According to him, SON will also train officials of the institute on Standards and the conversion of its systems certification to the most recent standard.
Aboloma described public service as a journey, and posited that public officers should optimise their time in office to improve the lives of Nigerians and growth of the Nation’s economy through Standards and Quality Assurance.
He, however, acknowledged the existing beneficial relationship between NIPRD and SON.
Aboloma promised to strengthen the relationship through greater involvement of NIPRD’s personnel in standards development, review and adoption activities.
Earlier, Adigwe, a former Executive Secretary, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturer’s Association of Nigeria, said the Institute was focusing on new and novel molecules development to ensure that Nigerians have greater access to healthcare facilities and services.
He sought SON’s support and assistance in human and institutional capacity development, particularly in training more of NIPRD personnel as QMS Auditors in addition to the 12 existing Auditors in the Institute.
Adigwe also requested for waivers from SON in the training of personnel and conversion of the QMS certification to the most updated version as well as a possible extension in the dateline for the QMS conversion.
