A recent seminar organized by the Network for the Fight against Tobacco and Drugs at the National Assembly and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has sparked discussions on increasing taxes on tobacco products to boost universal health coverage in Cameroon.
If implemented, the proposed tax hike could influence the country’s healthcare system and the wallets of ordinary Cameroonians. According to experts, a tax increase on tobacco products could generate substantial revenue for the government, which could be channelled towards improving healthcare services and reducing out-of-pocket expenses for citizens. Some possible recommendations from the seminar include:
For many Cameroonians, healthcare is a luxury they can’t afford. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), out-of-pocket expenses account for a significant portion of healthcare costs in Cameroon. A tax hike on tobacco products could help change this narrative.
The Cameroonian government’s ratification of the Convention on Universal Health Coverage in April 2023 is a step in the right direction. The proposed tax hike on tobacco products could be a crucial component of this effort, generating revenue and reducing healthcare costs.
The seminar featured a series of presentations from representatives of various institutions and organizations, including the Ministry of Public Health, Converged Communication Partners (CCPCOM), the World Health Organization (WHO), and civil society organizations. Topics covered included the burden of tobacco-related non-communicable diseases in Cameroon, current tobacco control policies, and the benefits of health taxes.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) advocates for using tobacco taxes as a key tool to reduce tobacco consumption and improve public health. They emphasize the effectiveness of tobacco taxation in reducing smoking rates, discouraging uptake by young people, and generating government revenue. The IPU also highlights the need for evidence-based policymaking and countering lobbying efforts from the tobacco industry, which often tries to minimize the impact of tax increases.
Hon. Mary Muyali Meboka, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, who chaired the seminar, saluted the initiative to increase taxes on tobacco to raise funds for universal health coverage at a time when Cameroonians are grappling with paying for medical care from their pockets. According to Hon. Ngalle Daniel, President of the Parliamentary network for the fight against tobacco and drugs, “if the Universal Health Coverage is seen as ensuring that people without exception have full access to quality health services when and where they need them without facing financial hardship, by taxing tobacco, we shall be taking a leap forward in the achievement of a better Universal Health Coverage in Cameroon”.
Claudette Chin
