KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 30 (MExN): Analysts of the Nagaland State Drug Testing Laboratory, Kohima, have completed an intensive week-long training programme held from November 21 to 26.
The training was organised by the Drugs Control Officers India Welfare Association (DCOIWA) in coordination with industry subject matter expert K. Sridhar, former Director of Sipra Labs, Hyderabad. According to DCOIWA, the initiative aimed to strengthen the laboratory’s technical competence and foster a robust culture of regulatory compliance.
Participants were oriented on the fundamental principles and regulatory requirements of Quality Management Systems as defined under Schedule L1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, WHO Good Practices for Pharmaceutical Quality Control Laboratories (Annex 1, WHO TRS 957), and ISO/IEC 17025.
The programme included modules on Good Analytical Practices, laboratory safety and structured compliance management using the 6M framework — Man, Machine, Mother Nature, Method, Material and Measurement.
Analysts also received hands-on scientific and operational training on key analytical instruments and techniques integral to the laboratory’s operations. These included UV-Visible Spectrophotometry, HPLC, Polarimetry, Analytical Balances, Refractometry, FTIR, Water Purification Systems, Auto-Titrators and Dissolution Apparatus. Special focus was placed on the importance of calibration and the instrument-specific calibration procedures currently practiced in the laboratory.
As part of the laboratory’s continuous capacity-building efforts, DCOIWA stated that weekly virtual sessions will continue, covering quality systems, instrumentation functionality, laboratory safety and regulatory expectations in pharmaceutical analysis.
DCOIWA said the overarching goal of the initiative is to support the Nagaland State Drug Testing Laboratory in its journey towards achieving ISO/IEC 17025 (NABL) accreditation, and to position it as one of the country’s leading drug testing facilities. The programme also seeks to strengthen analytical excellence through practical skill-building and structured performance assessments, ensuring that analysts consistently operate at proficiency levels required in modern pharmaceutical testing environments.
DCOIWA extended thanks to Ethungbemo Ezung, President of the DCOIWA Nagaland chapter, and Anoop Khinchi, Commissioner and Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Nagaland, for inviting the association and providing the opportunity to conduct the initiative.
