Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Western Asia

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Western Asia in 2023 — 35.52%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 5.89 pp.

2023 35.52% +0.69 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 41.41%2000
Period minimum 33.04%2021

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Western Asia, 2000–202332.53537.54042.52000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 41.41%2001: 38.84%2002: 40.5%2003: 41.26%2004: 39.6%2005: 38.8%2006: 38.36%2007: 37.83%2008: 37.18%2009: 36.42%2010: 36.35%2011: 36.17%2012: 37.63%2013: 37.06%2014: 37.5%2015: 38.5%2016: 36.64%2017: 38.07%2018: 37.08%2019: 35.25%2020: 33.52%2021: 33.04%2022: 34.83%2023: 35.52%
Change over the period: −5.89 pp Annual average: -0.26 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Western Asia

Western Asia 35.52%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Western Asia, by year Western Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 35.52 +0.69 pp
2022 34.83 +1.79 pp
2021 33.04 −0.48 pp
2020 33.52 −1.73 pp
2019 35.25 −1.83 pp
2018 37.08 −0.99 pp
2017 38.07 +1.43 pp
2016 36.64 −1.87 pp
2015 38.5 +1 pp
2014 37.5 +0.44 pp
2013 37.06 −0.57 pp
2012 37.63 +1.46 pp
2011 36.17 −0.18 pp
2010 36.35 −0.07 pp
2009 36.42 −0.76 pp
2008 37.18 −0.65 pp
2007 37.83 −0.53 pp
2006 38.36 −0.44 pp
2005 38.8 −0.81 pp
2004 39.6 −1.66 pp
2003 41.26 +0.76 pp
2002 40.5 +1.67 pp
2001 38.84 −2.57 pp
2000 41.41

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.