•As Medical ART Centre bags ISO 9001:2015 certification

By Sola Ogundipe

In recognition of its commitment to quality management in the field of fertility treatment services among other notable achievements, Nigeria’s Medical ART Centre, a pioneering fertility clinic and one of the first private research-oriented IVF centers in West Africa, has been awarded the International Standard Organisation, ISO 9001:2015 – (Quality Management System) Certification.

The award from the Institute for Enterprise Management and Analytics, IEMA  Standard Ltd., .

The  Medical ART Centre is widely credited with a significant commitment to research and innovation in the field of assisted reproductive technology.

Presenting the award to the facility in Lagos, the Director General of IEMA Standard Ltd., Dr Raymond Smith, described the ISO Certification as a big feat.

“The certification committee has sat and looked at all the reports from the auditors and they have approved and said that we should go ahead and certify Medical ART Centre.

“We have had a group of health services established and duly implemented, and the company applies all standards of the ISO 9001-2015, by the provision of the quality management system of the International Organisation of Standards of Care.

“It’s a rigorous process that we took the organisation through over a few months, but we had to do that to ensure that it actually meets the international standards. So far, Medical ART Centre has attained that level of standard that we can beat our chest and tell the international community that it is ISO certified.,” he asserted.

According to Smith, for the standard to be maintained, there would be an annual surveillance audit of the Centre.

Further, Smith explained that IEMA Standard Ltd. is accredited by the Egyptian Accreditation Council and also by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Accreditation Systems.

The body is part of the International Accreditation Forum, IAF, the highest body that every accredited organisation must be part of.

Also speaking, the Founder/Chairman and Chief Medical Director, of Medical Art Centre,  Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, said the Centre applies the guidelines set by the Association of Fertility for Fertility and Reproductive Health of Nigeria.

Ashiru who is currently the President of the Africa Reproductive Care Society Foundation, and Secretary-General of the International Federation of Fertility Societies, said, “We  approached one of the reputable organisations in ISO certification to go through our process and to see whether we would be certified or not, and they found us certified.

 “Over the past 30 years, we have welcomed more than 3,000 babies into the world, bringing joy to countless families in Nigeria, neighbouring West African countries, the Americas, and Europe. Our laboratory protocol sad here strictly to the standards set by the American Board of Bioanalysis, and we maintain AFRH guidelines that meet international benchmarks.

“Our pursuit of excellence has never wavered, leading us to undertake the demanding process of ISO certification. This achievement is the perfect addition to our 30-year legacy, of quality, dedication, and passionate service to the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).

Ashiru who is also President of the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria, described the accomplishment as a highlight of an unwavering commitment to upholding the highest quality standards, however, pointed out that the certification is a continuum and not a one-time event