Translations

Phytofla: Gathering stakeholders to build a healthier society with organic medicine.

6. Clients and consumers

Client and consumer health and safety

Sector Health and cosmetics

Year 2010

Country Burkina Faso

Transmitter

Context

Phytofla’s main activity consists in processing medicinal plants and traditional knowledges and marketing them in the form of medication (potions, syrups, herbal solutions, ointments, soaps, capsules, powders, infusions, etc…) and some food products as well (dried mango, sorrel flowers syrup with mint, etc.).

Traditional medicine has been officially recognized by Burkina Faso’s health system since 1998. This is a great opportunity since many people can’t afford, can’t access or don’t trust modern medicine. Indeed, tradipracticiens are still culturally very important.

Phytofla laboratories want to be the reference in the field of organic medicinal products, hence their motto "Health by plants.” It must be said that they are leaders in the field in Burkina Faso, where they need to always improve or risk losing that position. Their products are also available in various African countries and France.

Objectives

Promote traditional medicine and make it accessible to as many people as possible.
Create value for local plant resources in order to support the local economy and make their products accessible at low costs

APPROACH

Phytofla started its activities by doing research in 1983 at the traditional pharmacopeia center in Banfora. Research was conducted on how to create value for traditional medicine as well as how to improve it. This was done in collaboration with scientific research centers and universities throughout the country. Next, scientific validation was done to demonstrate the effects of the therapeutics, studies of preparatory stability, and study of the conditioning modes. After the validation, the laboratory could be created. The creation of a production unit that respects best practice fabrication was put in place in 1993.

The production of the medication requires diverse raw materials and for this Phytofla Laboratories encourages and supports initiatives for growing medicinal plants. Today, they work in partnership with a network of 260 providers who are part of the Medicinal Plant Producers Cooperative. The distribution network of their products include: approximately 100 pharmacies, 20 warehouses, 10 sanitary districts, and 4 certified wholesale distributers.

While Phytofla promotes traditional pharmacopeia, they also collaborate with partners who are specialized in improving traditional medicine. The partners include a network of 150 National tradipracticiens, healers known for their in depth knowledge in phytotherapy, as well as modern laboratories, which include national scientific research centers and universities. These collaborations help them to establish a relationship between traditional medicine and modern medicine.