Sri Lanka to host SAARC Accreditation workshop

Ramani Kanaraarachchi

Sri Lanka will host the SAARC Accreditation workshop on International Accreditation Day on June 9 in Colombo in association with PTB Cooperation Germany, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SAARC Secretariat, SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka.

It will be coordinated by Director, CEO Sri Lanka Accreditation Board Sanath Mendis under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Senior Vice President, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka FCCISL Tissa Jayaweera told Daily News Business that there is an increasing concern in the Health sector regarding the reliability of test results of Medical and Clinical testing laboratories.

The reliability and quality of such services offered to the public could be assured through a system of Accreditation according to accepted quality management principles applicable to Medical and Clinical Laboratories.

In this context, two major activities namely Conformity Assessment and Accreditation are recognized and developed at the workshop which will be held from June 8-10. Chairman, International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Thomas Facklam will attend the function. This will be the third SAARC Accreditation Follow up Workshop, Jayaweera said.

In the modern world which is more inclined and based on economic values involving products and services for consumer consumption, assuring public safety and consumer protection has emerged as a vital factor.

With the increasing variety of products and services on offer, there is an ever-increasing demand for intervention by the state to assure public safety and protection of consumer.

State regulatory authorities are compelled to implement regulations covering products, services and related delivery processes for reasons of health, safety, consumer protection, fraud prevention and market fairness, he said.

The conformity assessment procedures adopted worldwide in trade and services demands that testing, inspection and certification are carried out in a transparent and reliable manner by impartial and competent bodies, which could demonstrate their competence and reliability.