Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) is set to get an enhanced quality certification after undergoing a successful inspection by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). MEDS, a leading regional medicines and medical equipment supplier, is currently ISO 9001:2008 certified and now transiting to the new ISO 9001:2015, which would give a stronger vote of confidence in its quality management.
MEDS Managing Director Paschal Manyuru says after the inspection last year, KEBS recertified the organization for another two years. “The achievement goes a long way to confirm that our products and services are safe, reliable and of good quality,” he said.
Quality Management Systems ensure that organizations offer products and services of consistently good quality through efficient processes and helps them to adapt to a changing world. Mr Manyuru said MEDS was now eying the latest ISO 9001:2015 quality certification, released in September 2015, which focuses more on customer satisfaction.
This new certification combines the process approach with risk-based thinking, and employs the ‘plan-do-check-act’ cycle at all levels in the organisation.
Mr Manyuru said MEDS provides affordable medicines and other medical supplies to 2,300 health facilities in East Africa. To ensure quality, he said the organisation acquired a World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-qualified quality control laboratory that tests over 100 medicines and pharmaceutical samples every month. “The laboratory plays a vital role in the fight against substandard and counterfeit medicines and pharmaceuticals in the region,” he added.
Mr Manyuru said MEDS has been supplying Kenyan counties with affordable medicines under a partnership signed in 2013 to increase access to quality healthcare and latest quality certification would expand its customer base.
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