It is time for the Burundian Bureau of Standardization and Quality Control (BBN) and the Burundian Regulatory Authority for Medicines for Human Use and Food (ABREMA) to be provided with sufficient equipment and management autonomy. In addition, the Burundian Regulatory Authority for Veterinary Products, Pesticides and Food (ABREVPA) and the National Agency for Quality Assurance of Medicines and Food Safety (ANAMSSA) must be set up to control and certify the quality of food, veterinary and pesticide products.

This stems from the statements made Monday, December 11, 2023, by the three members of the Government: the Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS; the Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock; and the Minister in charge of Trade during the session of oral questions with debate addressed to them. The questions focused on the report of the joint raid carried out on September 27, 28 and 29, 2023 by the standing committees in charge of agriculture and social affairs respectively, to assess the functioning of BBN and ABREMA, as well as the establishment of ABREVPA and ANAMSSA.

During the visit, it was noted that the regulatory bodies already in place, including the BBN and ABREMA, are not functioning properly, as they face the challenge of lacking sufficient qualified staff and the financial resources to carry out their missions properly. The BBN therefore deserves the support of the Government of Burundi and its technical and financial partners in order to implement its modernization and operationalization strategy, which is a prerequisite if Burundian products are to be competitive on an international scale. ABREMA needs autonomous management and sufficient qualified staff to guarantee the Burundian population high-quality pharmaceutical products.

During the plenary session, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Right Honorable Gelase Daniel Ndabirabe, suggested a way out to avoid any overlap between those bodies in the performance of their duties. He suggested that two structures should be set up. The first structure, dealing with research, would be established at the level of all ministries. Its main mission would be to conduct research and innovation in well-targeted areas, as is done by ISABU and INSP. The second, related to regulation, would aim to verify, control and certify product quality. Here, the Speaker of the National Assembly mentioned BBN, ABREMA and ABREVPA as product regulatory bodies.

The MPs also raised the question of whether large-scale pharmacies, especially in urban centers, comply with the law. The Minister for Health, Dr. Lydwine Baradahana, replied that some pharmacies do not meet standards, but the ministry is looking for an appropriate solution. This involves combining those pharmacies that are spread in the same locality, in order to insure pharmacies that meet standards.
The Minister of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, Mr Prosper Dodiko, pointed out that the shortage of sugar during the rainy season is due to the fact that the tractors used for harvesting are unable to work properly, as the ground becomes too slippery.

The MPs also wanted to know whether BBN was certified; the Minister of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism, Mrs Marie Chantal Nijimbere, assured them that it was undergoing the certification process, which was being supported by the Swiss company S.S., a world-renowned certification body.