By Esther SALGUERO-GÓMEZ
The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest test of the modern medical system so far.
Everyone is looking at the medical product supply chain. Shortages of products such as ventilators, masks, gloves, protective clothing, disinfectants and sanitizers are having a significant impact on patient care and hindering the efforts to stop the virus.
In Colombia, a number of companies have taken the initiative to adapt their production lines so that they can manufacture some of the key products required in the health emergency. To help ensure that these products are of the highest possible quality, the Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP) Colombia has worked with the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification (ICONTEC) to translate into Spanish 24 international standards addressing the manufacture and evaluation of goods used in health emergencies. Adherence to these standards will mean that manufacturers are producing medical products and equipment that are reliable and effective. The standards also provide the national authority regulating the commercialization of items related to pandemic control in Colombia with the necessary technical criteria on which to base its decisions.