Africa-Press – Mauritius. A half-day seminar organised in the context of World Standards Day 2023 opened, today in Moka, in the presence of the Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah.
The Chairperson of the Standards Council, Mauritius Standards Bureau (MSB), Mr Sanjiv Mulloo; the Representative of the World Health Organisation, Dr Anne Ancia; and other personalities were present at the opening ceremony.
The seminar, an initiative of the MSB, aims to raise awareness about the crucial role of standardisation among regulatory bodies, industries and consumers as well as in various sectors. The theme for 2023 is “Shared vision for a better world”.
In his address, Minister Bholah stated that the Day sheds light on the importance of international standards while emphasising that standards ensure safety and help in safeguarding the planet in conformity with global standards. He seized the occasion to pay tribute to the experts worldwide who developed the international standards.
“This year’s focus is on Sustainable Development Goals 3 which lay emphasis on ensuring healthy lives, reducing maternal and child mortality, combatting major diseases, and promoting mental health and well-being for all,” he stated.
Minister Bholah stressed that standards have been and will continue to be at the heart of solutions. In the realm of healthcare and well-being, standards are the foundation upon which the world can build a healthier future for all, he underpinned.
He added that standards provide a global framework that facilitate the adoption of digital health technologies, research and development, manufacturing, and maintenance of healthcare devices and systems.
They also provide the basis for effective policy making and regulation that encourages collaboration in view of improving healthcare outcomes, he said. Minister Bholah, moreover, observed that standards have proven to be an essential component of the COVID-19 pandemic response.
He added that amid developments and digital transformations, these standards serve as the very foundation upon which progress and development stand, thereby helping to build a stronger, and more resilient society.
Highlighting the role of the MSB, he said that it serves as a central hub where businesses can converge to ensure regulatory compliance and harmonise their practices with established standards and conformity assessments while supporting Government’s endeavours to drive economic growth.
Furthermore, Minister Bholah mentioned that the International Organisation for Standardisation has come up with the ISO 7101, a standard dedicated to healthcare organisation management, which is a landmark standard intended to assist organisations in navigating the complexities of healthcare.
As for Dr Ancia, she gave an overview on Mauritius’ achievement on standards over the past 20 years in the health sector and indicated that the country has progressed considerably.
She dwelt on key areas where progress and improvements are needed and called on stakeholders for more sensitisation campaigns and prevention programmes for early detection of diseases and to reduce death rate caused by non-communicable diseases.
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