Burkina Faso

The first title of the Constitution titled "Fundamental rights and freedoms" is structured around four chapters looking at civil rights and duties, political rights and duties, economic rights and duties and social and cultural rights and duties. Under this last chapter (chapter 4) the right to health is first referred under article 18 along with the recognition of other rights e.g., education, drinkable water, sanitation, education, social security, housing, energy, sports etc. It is also specifically referred to under article 26 stating that the right to health is recognized and that the State works towards its promotion. Article 29 enshrines the right to a clean environment.

Title VI of the Constitution describes areas of competence for different entities - legislative matters reserved to the Parliament are listed under article 101, other matters are of regulatory nature (article 108). In some instances (described in articles 103, 107 and 119 of the Constitution) an Ordinance signed by the President after deliberation of the Council of Minister can intervene in matters that are in principle reserved to the Parliament (article 99). Legislative initiative belongs to member of parliaments, the government (article 97) and people's petition signed by at least 15000 people (article 98).

No (current) National Health Policy was located for the country.

The main goal of the Plan National de Développement Sanitaire (PNDS) 2021-2030 is to improve the health status of the population of Burkina Faso by ensuring universal access to quality health services and achieving universal health coverage (pages 1, 68).

The PNDS 2021-2030 identifies five strategic orientations, including strengthening leadership and governance for more effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable health services; developing human resources for health; increasing the use of quality health and nutrition services for the entire population without financial risk; promoting healthy lifestyles and behaviours; and improving the response to health emergencies (pages 65-72).

The plan undertakes a brief legal mapping of the legal framework in place (section 4.2.2) and refers to a set of reforms under implementation (section 4.2.4 ) including, among other, a reform on hospital public service (page 17), several reforms regarding pharmaceutical products, the operationalization of the UHC scheme and the implementation of the free services provided to women and children under 5.

In table V providing the strategic interventions, areas of interventions and priority actions (pages 71 to 88), several references to legal and regulatory interventions are included such as revitalizing the institutional and regulatory framework , strengthening pharmaceutical regulations, reviewing and adopting the texts governing professional orders (page 73), implementing certification processes for public and private health facilities (page 74), implementing regulatory texts for discipline and professional practice at all levels (page 77), strengthening health product regulation (page 80), etc. (illustrative examples, numerous references are found across the text)