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Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Zambia

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Zambia in 2023 — 10.29%. Ranked 26 in the world out of 192. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 35.23 pp.

2023 10.29% +1.37 pp vs 2022
World rank 26of 192
Period maximum 45.51%2000
Period minimum 7.08%2021

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Zambia, 2000–202302040602000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 45.51%2001: 38.81%2002: 28.44%2003: 28.42%2004: 31.07%2005: 26.1%2006: 25.7%2007: 24.83%2008: 20.41%2009: 14.69%2010: 14.23%2011: 12.19%2012: 12.63%2013: 11.71%2014: 13.82%2015: 12.26%2016: 12.14%2017: 10.66%2018: 10.28%2019: 7.25%2020: 8.11%2021: 7.08%2022: 8.92%2023: 10.29%
Change over the period: −35.23 pp Annual average: -1.53 pp

Comparison, 2023

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

Zambia 10.29%
World 17.33%
Sub-Saharan Africa 30.36%
Eastern Africa computed 27.49%
Lower-middle-income countries computed 36.61%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Zambia, by year Zambia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 10.29 +1.37 pp
2022 8.92 +1.84 pp
2021 7.08 −1.04 pp
2020 8.11 +0.86 pp
2019 7.25 −3.02 pp
2018 10.28 −0.38 pp
2017 10.66 −1.48 pp
2016 12.14 −0.12 pp
2015 12.26 −1.56 pp
2014 13.82 +2.11 pp
2013 11.71 −0.92 pp
2012 12.63 +0.44 pp
2011 12.19 −2.04 pp
2010 14.23 −0.46 pp
2009 14.69 −5.72 pp
2008 20.41 −4.42 pp
2007 24.83 −0.86 pp
2006 25.7 −0.4 pp
2005 26.1 −4.97 pp
2004 31.07 +2.65 pp
2003 28.42 −0.02 pp
2002 28.44 −10.37 pp
2001 38.81 −6.7 pp
2000 45.51 —

Eastern Africa, 2023

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

RW Rwanda 4.1 ZM Zambia 10.29 MZ Mozambique 10.37 ZW Zimbabwe 10.63 MW Malawi 12 KE Kenya 24.25 BI Burundi 24.49 SS South Sudan 27.14 MG Madagascar 27.42 TZ Tanzania 27.93 SC Seychelles 27.96 DJ Djibouti 28.84 SO Somalia 30.78 UG Uganda 32.17 MU Mauritius 45.24 ET Ethiopia 46.27 ER Eritrea 48.45 KM Comoros 56.57
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 Zambia

Healthcare Government health expenditure (% of GDP)

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

Zambia by year Healthcare Health expenditure (% of GDP)

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

Zambia 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.

Zambia by year Healthcare Health expenditure per capita

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

Zambia by year Healthcare Physicians per 1,000 people

The number of physicians per 1,000 people.

Zambia by year Healthcare Hospital beds per 1,000 people

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

Zambia by year
All indicators for Zambia