Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 54.3% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Cameroon, 2003–2022
Source: Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
In 2022, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Cameroon stood at 54.3%. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Cameroon peaked at 68.7% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 54.3%, in 2022.
That places Cameroon 23rd out of 134 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 68.7% | — |
| 2004 | 68.6% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 67.4% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 66.3% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 66.8% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 65.2% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 66.0% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 66.1% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 62.0% | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 56.8% | -8.4% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 57.6% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 60.1% | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 57.0% | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 56.4% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 55.3% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 54.4% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 54.3% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 67.0% | 65.2% | 68.7% | 7 |
| 2010s | 59.2% | 56.4% | 66.1% | 8 |
| 2020s | 54.7% | 54.3% | 55.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More population data for Cameroon
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5077 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 51,280 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.39 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1831 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.6% (2100)
- Population density 188.01 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.42 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Cameroon?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Cameroon was 54.3% in 2022, according to Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 68.7% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.3% in 2022.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- Cameroon ranks 23rd out of 134 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.