As part of efforts to strengthen Burkina Faso’s health sovereignty, Minister of Health Dr. Robert Kargougou conducted a two-day field visit to key national pharmaceutical and agricultural facilities in the Tannounyan region on July 12 and 13, 2025.
The visit included a tour of the SN-SOSUCO distillery in Bérégadougou, which currently supplies the Central Purchasing Agency for Generic Essential Medicines (CAMEG) with medical-grade alcohol.
“All the alcohol we use for care, around 15,000 liters per month, is ordered from SN-SOSUCO,” stated Dr. Kargougou. He praised the company’s vital role in the country’s healthcare system and confirmed that CAMEG has consistently met its financial obligations to the distillery, thereby reinforcing the strategic partnership.
The tour allowed the Minister to observe the entire alcohol production process—from distillation to packaging—and understand the operational challenges and capacities of the facility.
The visit underscored SN-SOSUCO’s significance in ensuring local access to essential medical supplies, reducing reliance on imported goods.
On the previous day, Dr. Kargougou also visited the Phytofla laboratory and conservatory garden founded by the late Dr. Zéphirin Dakuyo in the village of Koutoura, located about 30 kilometers from Banfora in the commune of Niangoloko.
Spread across a 12-hectare site, the garden integrates fish farming, beekeeping, agriculture, and the cultivation and preservation of medicinal plants.
“For us, it is an honor to receive the minister and his delegation,” said Dr. Virginie Dakuyo, Director General of the Phytofla Laboratory.
The minister applauded the laboratory’s contributions to traditional medicine and its alignment with the President’s vision of national health sovereignty. He revealed that under National Tree Day 2025, Burkina Faso will establish medicinal plant groves in every province. He also noted that the Permanent Secretariat for Malaria Elimination is working on integrating traditional medicine more deeply into national treatment protocols.
About The Author
