The Liberia Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority (LMHRA) has announced a transformative initiative to upgrade its Quality Control Laboratory, aiming to meet ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Maturity Level Three standards.
To achieve this goal, LMHRA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Quality Management Solutions (QMS), an international quality assurance company, to undertake the modernization of the laboratory.
At the official signing ceremony, LMHRA Managing Director Dr. Luke L. Bawo described the agreement as “a historic development for the testing of medicines, health products, and other commodities in Liberia.”
He acknowledged the lengthy and complex nature of the process, which involved careful coordination with several government entities, including the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Ministry of Justice, Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, and Bureau of Concessions. These engagements, he noted, were essential to ensure regulatory compliance and transparency.
Dr. Bawo disclosed that the MoU represents an investment of US$3 million to US$5 million, structured under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The upgraded laboratory will provide comprehensive testing services in areas including pharmaceuticals, health products, food, animal feed, and petroleum, extending its utility beyond Liberia to serve the broader West African region.
QMS, a profit-oriented firm, will finance and execute the laboratory upgrade, with a revenue-sharing model in place for cost recovery and sustainability. Dr. Bawo expressed optimism that the facility would be operational within months, filling a critical gap left since the destruction by fire of the former laboratory at the National Drugs Service.
“This lab will go beyond physical and visual checks to offer advanced scientific analysis, enabling LMHRA to take regulatory and legal action against substandard products,” said Dr. Bawo. “It directly supports Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which aims to raise testing coverage from 40% in 2025 to 95% by 2029.”
He praised the LMHRA Board for its continued support and reiterated the institution’s commitment to achieving ISO 17025 accreditation and WHO Maturity Level Three certification—key international benchmarks for laboratory competence and regulatory maturity.
Shoaib Mirza, Operations Manager at QMS, commended the Liberian government for its vision and cooperation. He emphasized the company’s commitment to establishing a world-class, scientifically robust, and fully traceable testing system that will enhance public health and consumer safety.
Mirza also highlighted QMS’s international footprint, with operations and partnerships in Turkey, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Dubai, and its recent involvement in capacity-building initiatives in West Africa, including training in collaboration with the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) in Ghana.
“Our goal is to deliver testing services that are accurate, trusted, and aligned with international standards,” Mirza stated. “We are excited about our partnership with LMHRA and the opportunity to contribute to Liberia’s public health goals.”
LMHRA Board Chairman Dr. David Sumo welcomed the agreement and acknowledged the significant progress made. He confirmed that further details—including a comprehensive testing fee structure—will be developed in a formal addendum. His vision, he said, remains to fully restore Liberia’s regulatory laboratory to international standing.
QMS offers a diverse suite of testing and quality assurance services across the pharmaceutical, food, and petroleum sectors. These include drug consistency analysis, shelf-life evaluation, microbial safety testing, nutritional profiling, contamination detection, and fuel performance testing—all vital for regulatory compliance and public safety.
As Liberia’s national regulatory authority, LMHRA is mandated to oversee the licensing, registration, inspection, and post-market surveillance of medicines and health products.
The agency collaborates with global institutions such as the WHO to ensure the availability of safe, effective, and high-quality products, while also strengthening regulatory systems through capacity building and evidence-based policy development.
