Nigerian health advocacy group gets international certification

The Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) has awarded a health advocacy organization in Nigeria, Society for Family Health (SFH), an international standard certification – ISO.

The award ceremony was held in Abuja last Wednesday.

Speaking at the award ceremony, SON’s Director Corporate Affairs and Consults, Justin Nickaf, said SFH was issued with the ISO 9001:2015 – an international standard dedicated to Quality Management System (QMS) – following a successful audit of the health advocacy organisation’s operations.

ISO is regarded one of the most rigorous and well-regarded standards for business operations in the world.

It outlines a framework for improving quality for any organisation looking to efficiently provide customer-centric products and services.

The regulatory body, SON, determines standards relating to products, measurements, materials, processes and services and issues certifications of standards like the ISO to local companies, organizations and foreign firms operating in Nigeria.

Mr Nickaf said SFH earned the certification because of its “conformity to internationally acceptable standard requirements in their operations.”

He said the certification will give additional assurance to clients that the organisation is committed to continuous improvement while serving as healthy competition to rivals who would now see the importance of getting certified.

“This certification will improve confidence in SFH, knowing their system and processes are certified to the required standard,” Richard Adewunmi, Deputy Director in management system certification of SON said.

Speaking on the development at the event, SFH Managing Director, Omokhudu Idogho, said the certification is a worthy confirmation of the work that the organisation has put into quality assurance over the years.

Mr Idogho said the organisation has worked hard to gain the confidence of its communities and customers by remaining steadfast and uncompromising in the quality of its service delivery.

“For about three years, SFH liaised with the SON concerning attaining the ISO 90001: 2015 certificate for not just the warehouse, but the organisation as a whole,” he said.

“After a series of pre-qualification engagements, the stage one audit of SFH facilities by SON took place in August 2020, at the Head Office in Abuja.”

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He noted that the Stage two audit took place in Abuja and at the warehouse in Otta Ogun State, in October 2020.

Mr Idogho said these audits assessed SFH’s Quality Management Systems and its conformance to the ISO 9001:2015 Standard.

“This is another pioneering achievement not just for us but a further affirmation of our deep and unshaken commitment to provide highest standard of services to the people.”

SFH is working in partnership with communities, government, donors and the private sector for the advancement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and social justice for all Nigerians.