BY LINDELWA MYENI
EZULWINI– Internal auditing should be used as a tool to strengthen laboratory systems and drive continual improvement rather than to find fault or assign blame, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade Under Secretary Phesheya Dube has said.
Dube made the remarks today when officially opening an Internal Auditing Workshop at ECODEC, Ezulwini, on behalf of Principal Secretary Melusi Masuku.
He said effective internal auditing was critical to ensuring that laboratory management systems remained effective, compliant and responsive to the needs of customers and other stakeholders.
“Internal auditing is not about finding fault or assigning blame,” Dube emphasised, describing it as a constructive process through which organisations can identify gaps, strengthen accountability and improve their operations.
The workshop is equipping laboratory personnel with practical skills to plan, conduct, report and follow up on internal audits in line with laboratory management system requirements.
Dube said adopting a constructive approach to auditing would help laboratories build a culture of continual improvement and strengthen the quality of services they provide.
The emphasis on stronger laboratory systems comes as reliable testing results remain critical to public health, consumer protection, environmental protection and industrial development.
Credible laboratory results are also important in facilitating trade and enabling businesses to access domestic and international markets, making laboratory quality an important component of the country’s economic infrastructure.
The Ministry remains committed to strengthening Eswatini’s quality infrastructure and supporting laboratories towards accreditation.
Through improved internal auditing and quality management practices, laboratories are expected to become better equipped to deliver reliable services while contributing to trade facilitation, economic development and the protection of citizens.
(Courtesy Pic)
