Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Low-income countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in low-income countries in 2023 — 44.09%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 8.08 pp.

2023 44.09% +0.05 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 52.16%2000
Period minimum 41.58%2014

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Low-income countries, 2000–2023404550552000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 52.16%2001: 50.64%2002: 50.91%2003: 49.13%2004: 47.73%2005: 47.17%2006: 46.96%2007: 46.46%2008: 45.82%2009: 44.74%2010: 43.98%2011: 41.71%2012: 43.61%2013: 42.88%2014: 41.58%2015: 42.95%2016: 44.04%2017: 43.2%2018: 42.63%2019: 43.71%2020: 43.22%2021: 43.66%2022: 44.04%2023: 44.09%
Change over the period: −8.08 pp Annual average: -0.35 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Low-income countries

Low-income countries 44.09%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Low-income countries, by year Low-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 44.09 +0.05 pp
2022 44.04 +0.37 pp
2021 43.66 +0.44 pp
2020 43.22 −0.49 pp
2019 43.71 +1.08 pp
2018 42.63 −0.57 pp
2017 43.2 −0.84 pp
2016 44.04 +1.1 pp
2015 42.95 +1.37 pp
2014 41.58 −1.3 pp
2013 42.88 −0.72 pp
2012 43.61 +1.9 pp
2011 41.71 −2.27 pp
2010 43.98 −0.76 pp
2009 44.74 −1.08 pp
2008 45.82 −0.64 pp
2007 46.46 −0.5 pp
2006 46.96 −0.21 pp
2005 47.17 −0.55 pp
2004 47.73 −1.41 pp
2003 49.13 −1.77 pp
2002 50.91 +0.27 pp
2001 50.64 −1.52 pp
2000 52.16

About the indicator

Payments people make for medical care directly at the point of use — as a percent of all current health expenditure in the country. Insurance contributions and taxes are excluded: only what a person takes out of their pocket at the counter. The indicator is considered a key measure of financial protection: the higher it is, the more often illness means ruin, and WHO tracks it as an indicator of the risk of catastrophic household spending.

Important: A high value means weak protection, not an active private sector: voluntary insurance is not part of this indicator, so a country with developed private insurance can have a low share of out-of-pocket payments.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.