[ecr] 

The inauguration ceremony of this laboratory with cutting-edge equipment, which is located in Pasteur Institute of Algeria (IPA), was chaired by the Minister of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production, Ali Aoun in the presence of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, Mohamed Talhi, the German Ambassador to Algeria, Georg Felsheim, the Regional Director for Arab States of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Abdallah Al Dardari, and the UNDP Resident Representative in Algeria, Natasha Van Rijn.

Considered one of the largest laboratories in Africa, this facility, which spans an area of 1200 m², includes several units that ensure the quality control, effectiveness and safety of pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and vaccines.

The renovation of this Central Laboratory is part of the ACT-Accelerator initiative (a mechanism to accelerate access to tools for fighting the Covid-19 pandemic launched by WHO in 2020), with German funding via KfW Development Bank, in coordination with UNDP.

Speaking on this occasion, Aoun emphasized the “central role” of this laboratory in developing the pharmaceutical industry in Algeria and strengthening the country's health security by meeting national market needs for local medicines, exclusively through national skills and capabilities.

This “medical facility” will enable Algeria to enhance the quality of pharmaceutical products, medical devices and vaccines through expanded analysis capabilities, improved performance, and reduced time-to-market for products thanks to the laboratory's cutting-edge equipment and materials, said the minister.