BUJUMBURA October 6th (ABP) – The Ministry of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS, in collaboration with associations working in the field of the fight against drugs, organized at the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) on Friday October 2, 2020, an exchange meeting on the drug problem and its impact on health in Burundi to sensitize the people of Burundi to fight against this scourge.
The Permanent Executive Secretary of the National AIDS Control Council (CNLS), Dr Désiré Nduwimana indicated that drug consumption is a danger to health, and that the fight against drugs is a social struggle that requires synergy between partners both national and international.
The commander of the anti-drug brigade OPC1 Polycarpe Ntakarutimana who made a presentation on the state of drug consumption in Burundi, said that the sale and consumption of drugs is a reality in Burundi. He did not forget to mention the drugs frequent and consumed in Burundi, namely Indian hemp (cannabis, ganja, marijuana), heroin, cocaine, just. He specified that among these drugs, Indian hemp is the most consumed in Burundi, arguing that it is cheaper compared to others.
Mr. Ntakarutimana also reported that apprehended sellers and consumers are between 20-30 years old, 30-40 years old, and over 40 years old. He enumerated some challenges to face in the fight against drugs, including the problem of permeability of borders, problems of reliable statistics because the unit is not decentralized at national level, lack of laboratory for drug detection, lack of a canine brigade, lack of specialized equipment, insufficient trained personnel, lack of means of locomotion.