Alcohol abuse in Cameroon has reached alarming levels, claiming more than 74,000 lives each year, according to experts from La Coalition des Consommateurs Camerounaise (CCC), an association that is advocating for responsible consumption.
This August 21, members of the CCC convened in Yaoundé to launch a campaign aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of alcohol abuse and promoting good health.
This initiative is supported by the Network of African Media for the Promotion of Health and the Environment (REMAPSEN) and the Conseil National de la Consommation (CONACO).
In his speech, CCC President, Prince Mpondo, highlighted the grim statistics, noting that over 74,000 Cameroonians die annually due to alcohol abuse.
He cited a study published in the journal Health Sciences and Diseases, which revealed that alcohol abuse is particularly prevalent among university students, with 87.93% affected (39.04% among girls and 60.96% among boys).
To address this crisis, the CCC has launched a campaign running from August 21 to September 30, 2024, focused on educating the public about the harmful effects of alcohol abuse.
The campaign also spells out the role of the media in combating alcohol abuse and calls on the government to enforce stricter regulations on the sale and consumption of alcohol.
“We appeal to the authorities to strictly regulate alcohol consumption. The laws and rules are in place but are not enforced with the necessary rigor. Additionally, legislation on alcohol consumption needs to be updated to reflect current realities,” Mpondo appealed.
“Consumers have a major role to play in the campaign. They need to consume alcohol responsibly because it has to do with their health in the first place. The World Health Organisation, WHO has put out a strategy to reduce the abuse of alcohol. For example, a woman should take two standard glasses of alcohol a day; a man a maximum of three glasses. The body no doubt needs alcohol, but it must not be abused,” Mpondo added.
Alcohol abuse is a global issue, contributing to 2.6 million deaths each year, according to the WHO.
It also leads to widespread poor health and accounts for 4.7 percent of the global burden of disease.
Mpondo called for a concerted effort from the government, the media, alcohol manufacturers, and consumers to reduce alcohol abuse in Cameroon.
He specifically advocated for the elimination of sachet-packaged alcohol, such as sachet whiskey, in favor of larger packages of at least 100 milliliters, to help curb over consumption.
