Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in South Africa
South Africa: Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) was 8.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Current health expenditure in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 8.9% for current health expenditure in 2023.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current health expenditure in South Africa peaked at 9.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.7%, in 2002.
That places South Africa 47th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.3% | — |
| 2001 | 7.1% | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 6.7% | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 7.0% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 6.9% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 6.9% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 6.9% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 7.1% | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 7.6% | +7.0% |
| 2010 | 7.8% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 7.9% | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 8.1% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 8.0% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 8.1% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 8.2% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 9.0% | +9.4% |
| 2021 | 8.7% | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 8.7% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 8.9% | +1.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 8.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.2%, 1.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 8.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.4%, 2.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.1% | 6.7% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.0% | 7.8% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 44 Uruguay 9.0% compare
- 45 Iceland 9.0% compare
- 46 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.9% compare
- 48 Malta 8.8% compare
- 49 Guinea-Bissau 8.8% compare
- 50 South Korea 8.7% compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % 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 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % 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 0.046 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current health expenditure in South Africa?
- Current health expenditure in South Africa was 8.9% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest current health expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.7% in 2002.
- How does South Africa rank for current health expenditure?
- South Africa ranks 47th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is current health expenditure rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.