Contact Contacts
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — South Africa

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in South Africa in 2023 — 6.69%. Ranked 11 in the world out of 192. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 7.77 pp.

2023 6.69% −0.03 pp vs 2022
World rank 11of 192
Period maximum 14.46%2000
Period minimum 5.66%2014

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — South Africa, 2000–202357.51012.5152000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 14.46%2001: 14.13%2002: 13.56%2003: 12.33%2004: 11.85%2005: 11.31%2006: 10.58%2007: 9.7%2008: 8.84%2009: 8.11%2010: 8%2011: 7.75%2012: 7.72%2013: 7.61%2014: 5.66%2015: 5.74%2016: 5.79%2017: 5.83%2018: 5.85%2019: 5.74%2020: 6.43%2021: 6.61%2022: 6.72%2023: 6.69%
Change over the period: −7.77 pp Annual average: -0.34 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Africa

South Africa 6.69%
World 17.33%
Sub-Saharan Africa 30.36%
Southern Africa computed 8.53%
Upper-middle-income countries computed 30.38%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — South Africa, by year South Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 6.69 −0.03 pp
2022 6.72 +0.11 pp
2021 6.61 +0.18 pp
2020 6.43 +0.69 pp
2019 5.74 −0.11 pp
2018 5.85 +0.01 pp
2017 5.83 +0.05 pp
2016 5.79 +0.05 pp
2015 5.74 +0.07 pp
2014 5.66 −1.95 pp
2013 7.61 −0.11 pp
2012 7.72 −0.03 pp
2011 7.75 −0.24 pp
2010 8 −0.11 pp
2009 8.11 −0.73 pp
2008 8.84 −0.86 pp
2007 9.7 −0.88 pp
2006 10.58 −0.73 pp
2005 11.31 −0.53 pp
2004 11.85 −0.48 pp
2003 12.33 −1.23 pp
2002 13.56 −0.57 pp
2001 14.13 −0.34 pp
2000 14.46 —

Southern Africa, 2023

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

BW Botswana 4.26 ZA South Africa 6.69 NA Namibia 7.49 SZ Eswatini 11.02 LS Lesotho 13.2
Full table for all countries

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.

Other indicators for South Africa

Healthcare Government health expenditure (% of GDP)

How much the state spends on health relative to the size of the economy.

South Africa by year Healthcare Health expenditure (% of GDP)

All current health spending — government and private — as a percent of GDP.

South Africa by year Healthcare Universal health coverage index

A composite estimate of how far the population is supplied with the medical care it needs. A scale from 0 to 100.

South Africa by year Healthcare Health expenditure per capita

How much is spent on health per person a year, in US dollars.

South Africa by year Healthcare Physicians per 1,000 people

The number of physicians per 1,000 people.

South Africa by year Healthcare Hospital beds per 1,000 people

The number of hospital beds per 1,000 people — the capacity of inpatient care.

South Africa by year
All indicators for South Africa