Labs accreditation increases competition, says govt
Malawi Government has said laboratory accreditation is vital to make Malawi exports more competitive on the global market.
Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology Vincent Ghambi, opening the Laboratory Association of Malawi (LAM) annual general conference in Blantyre last week, said when Malawi laboratories reach international standards, goods will be easier to market internationally.
“Laboratories are vital in many sectors, including agriculture, mining and health. Accredited laboratories are necessary for competence since when goods are exported, there will be no need for retesting.
“In the health sector, laboratories are important in diagnosis since wrong diagnosis can lead to death,” he said.
LAM chairperson Willy Muliya said the grouping is important in supporting members, creating learning opportunities, sharing common problems and finding solutions.
“Since 2009, the association has been growing and we are looking forward to implementing a strategic plan that will, among other things, see the establishment of a fully-fledged secretariat,” he said.
During the event, several professionals—College of Medicine professor John Chisi, former Carlsberg Breweries chief executive officer Abel Chanje, Mwaiwathu’s Dr Edwin Banda and Malawi Bureau of Standard, (MBS) managing director Davlin Chokazinga gave a talk on accreditation.
Supported by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union (EU), the conference also held a workshop on standardisation, quality assurance and accreditation.
