Cigarette smoking is estimated to kill close to 3000 people in Cameroon annually, including deaths due to secondhand smoke.
The figure was revealed Monday May 31 on the occasion of the commemoration of the 2021 edition of the World No Tobacco Day observed under the theme: “Commit to quit.”
According to statistics from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), close to nine percent of the Cameroonian population-more than 2 million aged from 15 upward, that is 13.9 percent of men and 4.3 percent of women smoke.
Out of these over 2 million people, 3000, including passive smokers who constitute 36.4 percent of the population die annually.
This year’s theme encourages smokers to quit smoking as COVID-19 increases risks to developing severe diseases leading to death.
“The theme this year is “Commit to quit”because the choice to stop tobacco use is in our hands.Millions of people have been motivated to quit tobacco during the COVID–19 pandemic because of evidence showing tobacco smoking impairs lung function, making it harder for the body to fight off coronaviruses and other diseases…” WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti said in a statement yesterday May 31st.
The World Health Organization now provides a digital solution to smokers willing to quit. The https://who-en.digitalhero.cloud/ who gives brief advice on how to quit and links people with the tools and solutions that can help.
JDC TV, Video news 
