The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has deployed 29 relevant international standards to support the manufacturing and importation of essential materials to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Mr Osita Aboloma, SON Director-General, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Aboloma said that the standards were deployed to meet emergency needs occasioned by COVID-19 globally while the process for the adoption would continue unhindered in spite of the lockdown.

He said that the deployment of 28 standards was through the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), while one was from the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) on alcohol based hand sanitisers.

“The standards, which are being provided at no cost to local manufacturers, are being made available to the National Committee on Sustainable Production and Delivery of Essential Commodities during the pandemic of which SON is a member.

“This is to guide local manufacturers as well as to provide a benchmark for adjudging all imported products in the category during the pandemic.’’

He said that SON had received free, unlimited usage of the ISO web conferencing system (zoom) for national standards development work only.

“With this offer, Nigeria, as an eligible member will be assigned a zoom account for developing countries, which we can share with our Technical Committee (TC) members and experts, creating the equivalent of a `virtual conference room’ at the national level.

“Nigeria’s TC meetings could continue largely, while its stakeholders and experts keep safe in this time of bans on gatherings and travels,’’ he said.

Aboloma told TC members nationwide to expect invitations from the secretariat for participation in the consideration and adoption of several international standards from ISO resources, to support global efforts in dealing with the pandemic.

He listed some of the international standards compiled by ISO to support global efforts in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis as follows:

“ISO 374-5:2016 Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms – Part 5: Terminology and performance requirements for micro-organisms risk.

“ISO 10651-3:1997 Lung ventilators for medical use – Part 3: Particular requirements for emergency and transport ventilators.

“ISO 10651-5:2006 Lung ventilators for medical use – Particular requirements for basic safety and essential performance – Part 5: Gas-powered emergency resuscitators.

“ISO 13688:2013 Protective clothing – General requirements.

“ISO 17510:2015 Medical devices – Sleep apnoea breathing therapy – Masks and application accessories.

“ISO 19223:2019 Lung ventilators and related equipment -Vocabulary and semantics.

“ISO 22301:2019 Security and resilience – Business continuity management systems – Requirements.

“ISO 5356-1:2015 Anaesthetic and respiratory equipment – Conical connectors – Part 1: Cones and sockets.

“ISO 80601-2-12: 2020 Medical electrical equipment – Part 2-12: Particular requirements for basic safety and essential performance of critical care ventilators.

“ISO 80601-2-80: 2018 Medical electrical equipment – Part 2-80: Particular requirements for basic safety and essential performance of ventilatory support equipment for ventilatory insufficiency.’’

Aboloma said  that the TC would also consider the adoption of a French National Standard “AFNOR SPEC S76-001 Barrier Masks – Guide to minimum requirements, methods of testing, making and use.’’

This, he said, would provide necessary quality guidance for mass production of face masks in the country, especially by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). (NAN)