[Tobacco control initiatives in Colombia's Congress, 1992-2007].

Objectives: To review tobacco bills introduced in Colombia's Congress and to compare these proposed measures to those of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Methods: Bills on tobacco-related products in the Congress of the Republic of Colombia in July 1992-July 2007 were identified from the records of the Senate and the House of Representatives' Legal Office. Eighteen semistructured interviews of key players were conducted and the debate proceedings of three bills were observed.

[Control of cervical cancer in Colombia: the perspective of the health system].

Objectives: To characterize the health system stakeholder's perspective on the basics of the political, economic, and sanitary context, as well as the ways in which control activities are being realized in four of Colombia's health departments.

Methods: This was a qualitative study of four Colombian health departments chosen for their differing cervical cancer mortality rates and their planned disease control efforts (Boyacá, Caldas, Magdalena, and Tolima). Semistructured interviews were conducted of health care managers, insurance coordinators, and public and private health institutions at the departmental and municipals levels.