Amidst COVID-19 global lockdown, NIPRD retains international ISO standard accreditation
By Ene Ikpa
The National institute for pharmaceutical research development. (NIPRD) has achieved an international reaccreditaion despite the COVID-19 global lockdown.
A critical international reaccreditaion which means testing and other outcomes including corona virus which emanate from the institute are internationally accepted.
The reaccreditaion of NIPRD by the American Accreditation Board (ANAB) for the certificate ISO /IEC 17025:2017 in quality management system was carried out in March and April 2020.
Remarkably, NIPRD achieved this reaccreditaion amidst COVID-19 pandemic via remote assessment which was undertaken by a team headed by professor Diallob Rassoulou, who led the process from Canada.
The Director General of NIPRD Dr Obi Adigwe while reacting attributed this achievement to the recently significantly improved information technology capabilities and competencies in the institute .
Which was made possible at the emergence of Dr Adigwe as DG by engaging various partners and consequently almost all NIPRD staff received new computers and access to relevant training.
It may be recalled that between 2013-2018 UNIDO assisted in the establishment of the National Quality Infrastructure Project (NQIP) for Nigeria towards overcoming technical barrier to global trade of Nigerian goods, including herbal and pharmaceutical products.consequently, NIPRD was identified as a critical stakeholder of NQIP in the quality assessment of medicines ,food and herbal products towards promoting international trade for those categories of Nigerian goods. To achieve this it was mandatory for NIPRD to attain global recognition as a conformity assessment body through establishment and implementation of ISO /IEC 17025 quality management system standard and ultimately accreditation certificate for competence of testing.
Following this recent reaccreditaion, NIPRD ISO certification signed by Douglas Leonard dated April 2020 is valid till June 2022.
