By Merit Ibe
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has offered to collaborate with stakeholders in the healthcare delivery sector in the country to enhance quality equipment, machinery and services available in the sector.
The SON Director General, Farouk Salim, made the offer during the 45th National Convention of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), held at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Ugochukwu Nwachukwu, who represented the SON chief executive said the offshore conformity assessment programme for SON regulated imports (SONCAP) provides a window of import permit for raw materials, equipment and machinery while asking stakeholders to take optimum advantage of it to improve the quality of products offered to Nigerians.
“Local manufacturing of medical equipment and machinery stand to gain a lot in accuracy of measurements from the calibration services being offered by the SON- promoted National Metrology Institute (NMI) located in Enugu with outreaches across the country,” he said.
Salim urged public and private sector organisations to take advantage of the SON internationally accredited Management Systems Certification services to guarantee improvements in their processes and systems in line with international best practices.
According to him, the internationally accredited Laboratory Services being offered by SON provides seamless international acceptance for all commodities and products tested at very competitive prices, especially for members of the organised private sector to promote national self-sufficiency, increased export and foreign exchange earnings.
The SON DG expressed hope that the insights to be gained from the knowledge and wealth of experience in indigenous drug manufacturing and success of the keynote speaker, Dr. Stella Okoli, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd., in spite of the daunting challenges, would propel many of the pharmacy students into local manufacturing and entrepreneurship to create more job opportunities and greater wealth for Nigeria.