The Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, has expressed happiness over the WHO endorsement of the Integrated Medical Industry in Rivers, which produces syringes and other medical products.
Orhii made the remark on Thursday at Rumuosi, near Port Harcourt when he visited the plant, which was established by the Rivers Government.
He said the syringes and other medical products manufactured by the plant were of good quality and could be used anywhere in the world.
Orhii commended the Rivers government for meeting the pre-qualification standard of the WHO, which would enable the company to compete in the global market.
“During the Haiti earthquake some of the products from here were sent to that country and they were accepted.? So, I think this is a very big one for us.
“I think it takes a lot to achieve this, it shows that we have come of age.
“It speaks volumes about the regulatory agency, because before the WHO pre-qualifies any facility, they will have to have on ground a regulatory agency that will make sure that the qualities are maintained.
“So, even for NAFDAC it is a big endorsement, so, that is why we are very excited.”
The Rivers’ Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker, thanked the NAFDAC boss for the visit and said that the achievement was made possible by Gov. Rotimi Amaechi.
In his speech, Mr Amenya Wokoma,? the Executive Secretary of Pan African Health Foundation, which manages the plant,? said the company would ensure quality at all times.
“We are trying to match quality with size and be competitive on cost too, because if we want to come to NAFDAC and say let us establish and enforce standards, we should be able to back it with quality and the size.”