Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Sub-Saharan Africa

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2023 — 30.36%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 1.39 pp.

2023 30.36% −1.64 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 35.82%2008
Period minimum 29.35%2019

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–202328303234362000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 31.76%2001: 33.12%2002: 34.93%2003: 35.45%2004: 32.5%2005: 32.5%2006: 34.26%2007: 34.39%2008: 35.82%2009: 32.4%2010: 31.17%2011: 30.52%2012: 31.03%2013: 33.33%2014: 33.98%2015: 34.48%2016: 33.98%2017: 31.44%2018: 29.36%2019: 29.35%2020: 30.44%2021: 30.46%2022: 32%2023: 30.36%
Change over the period: −1.39 pp Annual average: -0.06 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 30.36%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 30.36 −1.64 pp
2022 32 +1.54 pp
2021 30.46 +0.02 pp
2020 30.44 +1.09 pp
2019 29.35 −0.01 pp
2018 29.36 −2.08 pp
2017 31.44 −2.54 pp
2016 33.98 −0.5 pp
2015 34.48 +0.5 pp
2014 33.98 +0.65 pp
2013 33.33 +2.3 pp
2012 31.03 +0.51 pp
2011 30.52 −0.65 pp
2010 31.17 −1.23 pp
2009 32.4 −3.42 pp
2008 35.82 +1.43 pp
2007 34.39 +0.12 pp
2006 34.26 +1.76 pp
2005 32.5 −0 pp
2004 32.5 −2.94 pp
2003 35.45 +0.51 pp
2002 34.93 +1.82 pp
2001 33.12 +1.36 pp
2000 31.76

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.