Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Middle East & North Africa

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Middle East & North Africa in 2023 — 28.25%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 11.1 pp.

2023 28.25% −0.6 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 39.63%2005
Period minimum 26.86%2021

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Middle East & North Africa, 2000–2023253035402000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 39.36%2001: 38.42%2002: 38.3%2003: 38.38%2004: 39.03%2005: 39.63%2006: 38.22%2007: 38.65%2008: 38.34%2009: 37.53%2010: 39.09%2011: 37.3%2012: 36.71%2013: 33.44%2014: 31.43%2015: 32.68%2016: 30.85%2017: 29.76%2018: 30.85%2019: 29.13%2020: 27.64%2021: 26.86%2022: 28.85%2023: 28.25%
Change over the period: −11.1 pp Annual average: -0.48 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Middle East & North Africa

Middle East & North Africa 28.25%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Middle East & North Africa, by year Middle East & North Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 28.25 −0.6 pp
2022 28.85 +1.99 pp
2021 26.86 −0.79 pp
2020 27.64 −1.49 pp
2019 29.13 −1.71 pp
2018 30.85 +1.09 pp
2017 29.76 −1.09 pp
2016 30.85 −1.83 pp
2015 32.68 +1.26 pp
2014 31.43 −2.02 pp
2013 33.44 −3.27 pp
2012 36.71 −0.59 pp
2011 37.3 −1.79 pp
2010 39.09 +1.55 pp
2009 37.53 −0.81 pp
2008 38.34 −0.31 pp
2007 38.65 +0.43 pp
2006 38.22 −1.4 pp
2005 39.63 +0.6 pp
2004 39.03 +0.64 pp
2003 38.38 +0.09 pp
2002 38.3 −0.13 pp
2001 38.42 −0.93 pp
2000 39.36

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.