Southern African Development Community Accreditation Service (SADCAS), has urged government to strengthen Zambia’s regulatory capacity of the National Drug Quality Control Laboratory (NDQCL)to meet the set standards of quality safety and efficacy.
SADACAS Executive Officer, Eve Gadzikwa, was speaking during the handover ceremony of the ISO 17025:2017 accreditation certificate at Zambia Medicine Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) in Lusaka today.
Dr. Gadzikwa, said accreditation is important as it ensures consumer protection on the pharmaceutical industry market.
She said the National Drug Quality Control Laboratory will facilitate quality control functions of providing factual and accurate advice to the Ministry of health that will remove technical barriers for trade.
Meanwhile the Minister of Health, Elijah Muchima , who graced the occasion said the accreditation is an achievement of commitment to quality healthcare and remains a vital step towards safeguarding the well being of Zambians.
Dr. Muchima said that these quality standards must reflect at all levels including the appointing of officers which should be based on merit and qualification to protect the accreditation received.
He has emphasized that the new dawn government is highly committed in ensuring that the health care system is strengthened with quality service delivery.
By Betty Kakoma
