Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Southern Africa

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Southern Africa in 2023 — 8.53%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 9.45 pp.

2023 8.53% +0.18 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 17.98%2000
Period minimum 6.85%2019

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Southern Africa, 2000–202351015202000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 17.98%2001: 15.3%2002: 15.13%2003: 15.04%2004: 14.52%2005: 14.64%2006: 13.38%2007: 11.62%2008: 10.72%2009: 10.29%2010: 11.08%2011: 10.19%2012: 9.85%2013: 8.95%2014: 8.63%2015: 8.56%2016: 8.65%2017: 8.58%2018: 8.68%2019: 6.85%2020: 9.13%2021: 8.72%2022: 8.35%2023: 8.53%
Change over the period: −9.45 pp Annual average: -0.41 pp

Comparison, 2023

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

Southern Africa 8.53%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 8.53 +0.18 pp
2022 8.35 −0.37 pp
2021 8.72 −0.41 pp
2020 9.13 +2.28 pp
2019 6.85 −1.82 pp
2018 8.68 +0.1 pp
2017 8.58 −0.06 pp
2016 8.65 +0.08 pp
2015 8.56 −0.07 pp
2014 8.63 −0.32 pp
2013 8.95 −0.91 pp
2012 9.85 −0.33 pp
2011 10.19 −0.89 pp
2010 11.08 +0.79 pp
2009 10.29 −0.44 pp
2008 10.72 −0.9 pp
2007 11.62 −1.76 pp
2006 13.38 −1.26 pp
2005 14.64 +0.12 pp
2004 14.52 −0.53 pp
2003 15.04 −0.09 pp
2002 15.13 −0.17 pp
2001 15.3 −2.68 pp
2000 17.98

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.