Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in Laos
Laos: Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) was 1.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Current health expenditure in Laos, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for current health expenditure in Laos is 1.3%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is down 34.3% on the previous year and down 44.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current health expenditure in Laos peaked at 4.5% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2023.
Laos ranks 193rd of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.3% | — |
| 2001 | 4.3% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | -13.8% |
| 2003 | 4.5% | +21.1% |
| 2004 | 3.5% | -21.0% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -5.8% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | -12.1% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | -11.6% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | +25.1% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -15.9% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | -33.2% |
| 2012 | 2.1% | +6.8% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | +15.6% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 2.4% | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 2.5% | +7.0% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -11.1% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | +15.9% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | -20.9% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | +33.2% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | -26.4% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | -34.3% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 1.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.5%, 29% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 1.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.9%, 22% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.6% | 2.8% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 1.3% | 2.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More health data for Laos
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5667 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 317 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 15 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5161 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0489 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5055 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0511 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current health expenditure in Laos?
- Current health expenditure in Laos was 1.3% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest current health expenditure recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 4.5% in 2003.
- What is the lowest current health expenditure recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2023.
- How does Laos rank for current health expenditure?
- Laos ranks 193rd out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is current health expenditure rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Current health expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Level of current health expenditure expressed as a percentage of GDP. Estimates of current health expenditures include healthcare goods and services consumed during each year. This indicator does not include capital health expenditures such as buildings, machinery, IT and stocks of vaccines for emergency or outbreaks.