Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Eastern Africa

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Eastern Africa in 2023 — 27.49%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 15.62 pp.

2023 27.49% −0.52 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 43.12%2000
Period minimum 26.87%2021

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Eastern Africa, 2000–202325303540452000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 43.12%2001: 40.49%2002: 38.43%2003: 35.62%2004: 33.86%2005: 34.44%2006: 33.91%2007: 34.83%2008: 35.24%2009: 34.25%2010: 32.12%2011: 29.3%2012: 29.9%2013: 30.44%2014: 30.51%2015: 29.88%2016: 30.54%2017: 27.61%2018: 28.41%2019: 29.09%2020: 28.3%2021: 26.87%2022: 28.01%2023: 27.49%
Change over the period: −15.62 pp Annual average: -0.68 pp

Comparison, 2023

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

Eastern Africa 27.49%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Eastern Africa, by year Eastern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 27.49 −0.52 pp
2022 28.01 +1.14 pp
2021 26.87 −1.43 pp
2020 28.3 −0.79 pp
2019 29.09 +0.68 pp
2018 28.41 +0.8 pp
2017 27.61 −2.93 pp
2016 30.54 +0.67 pp
2015 29.88 −0.64 pp
2014 30.51 +0.08 pp
2013 30.44 +0.54 pp
2012 29.9 +0.6 pp
2011 29.3 −2.82 pp
2010 32.12 −2.13 pp
2009 34.25 −0.99 pp
2008 35.24 +0.42 pp
2007 34.83 +0.92 pp
2006 33.91 −0.53 pp
2005 34.44 +0.58 pp
2004 33.86 −1.76 pp
2003 35.62 −2.81 pp
2002 38.43 −2.06 pp
2001 40.49 −2.63 pp
2000 43.12

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.