NAFDAC has commenced an Agency-wide QMS training as part of the rebuilding process began by the Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye few months ago.
“The training is focused on the use of international standards for running the Agency with the purpose of placing a premium on the satisfaction of end-users or stakeholders of NAFDAC’s regulatory controls,” Prof. Adeyeye said on Monday in Abuja., adding that the overall “goal is to safeguard the health of Nigeria’s population”.
Prof. Adeyeye reiterated her determination to ensure that NAFDAC is certified by the International Standard Organisation for Standardization (ISO) very soon in line with ISO’s 90001- 2015 rule.
The certification would help NAFDAC certified “imbibe a quality operation culture and be at par with other Regulatory Authorities worldwide”.
“A major requirement to achieve this feat is that the Agency shall institute, implement and maintain an active QMS across all sections of its operations.
“In addition to the above, the Agency also identified the need to use standardised documented procedures to improve all activities and better achieve its mandate of safeguarding the health of the nation.
“This would include operating a system that will be; • Highly efficient in administration and people management • Active in internal auditing • Understand and practice professionalism • Practice the culture of accountability and performance evaluation • Supportive of ease of doing business in Nigeria aimed at the MSMEs • Effective in governance • Open to continual review and improvement. •
“Responsible in accounting and finance In order to properly position the Agency to realise these goals, the Director General directed the institution and implementation of QMS across all NAFDAC Directorates in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 requirements.
“A detailed work-plan has been developed to provide a road map to implementing QMS in the Agency, and ultimately attain ISO 9001:2015 certification.
“A gap-assessment has been conducted on all NAFDAC Directorates between October 2016 and May, 2017 to determine lapses and proffer support where needed. Recommendations that arose from the report on this exercise are being addressed.
“On 5th to 6th of March 2018, members of NAFDAC top and senior management including some other select members of staff were introduced to QMS principles and implementation.
This took place to ensure that the Agency’s top and senior management understood the concept, significance and benefits of QMS. On 9-13th of April 2018, the already identified and trained QMS quality management from the directorates (known as the quality team) received Module 1 training that was sponsored by West African Health Organization (WAHO).
The managers were charged to cascade the training to all NAFDAC offices – NAFDAC Headquarters, the FCT office and Lagos offices, Zone/State Offices In June and July, sensitization/training on Module 1 QMS Implementation was then cascaded down to NAFDAC Headquarters, the FCT and Lagos offices; all the six Geo-political Zones/and the 36 State Offices was completed in July 2018.
West African Medicine Regulation Harmonization (WAMRH) sponsored part of the QMS training as part of the plan to assist five (5) ECOWAS countries in QMS toward ISO 90001:2015 certification. FB- News
