Covid-19 in Cameroon:

Living Standards Drop Drastically in Households

-Gov’t Urged to Support Households and provide incentives for health workers

By Doh Bertrand in Yaounde

The National Institute of Statistics (NIS) has in a study carried out to access the socio-economic impact of the Coronavirus on the lives of Cameroonians revealed that there is a drastic drop in the living conditions of households.

                The study carried out between on households and businesses from 27 April to 10 May 2020 was done with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

                According to results obtained from the 1000 sampled families, most of their jobs have been maintained despite the Covid-19 pandemic but with a drop in the general income to about 65%.

                This according to the study has led to an 81% drop in the living standard of households with the North West, South West and Douala in the Littoral among the very poor and most affected regions in the health crisis.

                On businesses, of the 770 companies analysed in all sectors, 93% of business owners admitted the pandemic has negatively affected their production units with 14% companies in the informal sector and 18% of SMEs in temporary or permanent closure.

                The study states that the most affected companies are found in education, forestry, and accommodation and catering sectors. The panemic according to the study has led to the 95% decrease in domestic demand with 90% of companies finding it difficult to sell their products.

                Workforce has equally been affected with the study revealing a 55% cut in the workforce of companies with most affected areas being education (92%), hotels and restaurants (71%), extraction (76%) and forestry (73%).

                As concerns survival tactics, the study revealed that families especially women now solely depend on support or assistance from love ones and family members to be able to survive with only 35% of households being able to stock food as a resilient measure.

                In order to see a general amelioration of the living conditions, families hold that government should facilitate access to basic consumer goods, portable water, face masks and also support vulnerable households or engage in private enterprises to stop eventual salary decrease or plans to lay off workers by such enterprises.

                On their part, business owners as per the study have proposed that certain constraints to be lifted to allow the business to operate, but also amendments to tax policy and aid for a revival of economic activity.