Struggling towards Tobacco control Legislation in Burundi, Presentation of evidence-based and promising initiative.

Struggling towards Tobacco control Legislation in Burundi, Presentation of evidence-based and promising initiative.
Although Burundi has ratified FCTC in November 2005, it remains without Anti-Tobacco legislations and yet << Tobacco Control bill >> has not been adopted by the Parliament since more than three years. In this country, Tobacco control is still at its infancy whilst tobacco industry continues winning the market. Consequently, there's an increasing number of tobacco users especially among youth. The absence of clear legislation on Tobacco control affect positively the Tobacco industry and users whilst people continue to suffer. Legislation is a strong weapon to implement FCTC and counter tobacco industry. In that perspective, the Health Healing Network Burundi has initiated a project that aims to provide necessary contribution towards Tobacco control legislation that was adopted by the council of Ministers three years back but still dormant in the parliament house through lobby, advocacy and partnership.

This project was initiated by the Health Healing Network Burundi in its effort for improved public health. The project aims to foster the dormant Tobacco control Bill which is in the parliament house and contribute towards the implementation of Tobacco control legislation(Article 6 of FCTC in Burundi) through Partnership with experienced stakeholders and advocacy involving decision-takers at Governmental level(MPs, Ministers) and other stakeholders(WHO, AU, Civil Societies?).

The project was submitted at the funding round of the Bloomberg Initiative to reduce tobacco use grants program which was successfully considered and further funding process is in progress towards its implementation. This project is being runt respectively by the HHNB in close collaboration and partnership with other experienced partners in the East African Community (EAC) and elsewhere. In ligne with tha, Initial partnership was built with local, sub-regional and international stakeholders(e.g CTCA : Center for Tobacco Control in Africa based in Kampala Uganda). Burundi is left behind other EAC countries in Tobacco control. Available data(2012) have shown that Burundi has highest prevalence of smoking in this region with 17% whilst it's 11%, 10%, 9% and 11% respectively in Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya.


Successful tobacco control must be done through an effective FCTC implementation. Thus, the Tobacco control bill which's in the parliament must be fostered towards Tobacco legislation which will help decrease prevalence and prevent incidence from increasing Tobacco use and production in this country whilst saving lives of many.

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