2333 cases recorded by the ACLS, a rate that rose from 4.9 to 12.2 per 100,000 inhabitants between 2012 and 2016, 17.1 among men versus 7.4 among women, 15th African rank. Every September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day sheds light on a silent illness that Cameroon still struggles to name.
Every September 10, the world commemorates Suicide Prevention Day. In Cameroon, this September 10, the Cameroonian Association for the Fight and Prevention of Suicide (ACLS) announced having recorded more than 2333 cases in the country. A figure that raises a sensitive political question: where does Cameroon really stand?
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According to a report from the Ministry of Public Health based on WHO data, the national rate exploded from 4.9 to 12.2 per 100,000 inhabitants between 2012 and 2016. Men are the most affected, with 17.1 compared to 7.4 among women.
This increase places Cameroon on a worrying trajectory. However, according to recent WHO estimates, it ranks 15th in Africa, far behind Lesotho, Eswatini, and South Africa.
Africa remains the most affected region in the world with 11 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants compared to 9 globally on average. Six of the ten most affected countries are located there.
Social pressures, family taboos, school pressures: the causes are known. But unlike Gabon, which has a helpline, Cameroon still does not have a free public listening line.
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