In the presence of His Excellency the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health for Medical Services, Dr. Munirah Al-Essaimi, the Laboratories and Blood Banks General Department organized, last Tuesday, an honoring ceremony for the National Polio Laboratory (NPL) at the Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank in Riyadh, on the occasion of its gaining the accreditation of the World Health Organization (WHO), thus becoming the Region's reference laboratory with regard to the confirmation tests of measles, rubella and mumps for the year 2012.
During the honoring ceremony, Dr. Munirah expressed her appreciation for the work team which triggered this achievement. She pointed out that the NPL has formerly obtained the WHO's accreditation certificates which qualified it to be a reference laboratory of polio tests in the Middle East, and getting full marks in the Quality Examination (2010-2011), conducted as part of the Virus Quarantine Program, organized annually by the WHO.
Dr. Munirah said, “Such a momentous achievement could have not brought into being but for Allah's help, the Leadership's support, and Dr. Al-Rabeeah's close follow-up, as well as the strenuous efforts exerted by the MOH officials. This achievement reflects the ongoing development of performance in all laboratories and blood banks, with a view to obtaining the world's first-class accreditation certifications. In doing so, we're looking forward to the provision of best-quality laboratory services, seeking to preserve our people's health and well-being.”