Current health expenditure in South Asia
South Asia: Current health expenditure was 3.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Current health expenditure in South Asia, 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 South Asia is 3.3%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current health expenditure in South Asia peaked at 4.1% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 2018.
That places South Asia 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Current health expenditure in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.9% | — |
| 2001 | 4.1% | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 4.1% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 3.9% | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 3.9% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 3.7% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 3.6% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -5.2% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 3.3% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | +11.4% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 2.9% | -14.8% |
| 2018 | 2.9% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 2.9% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 3.3% | +12.0% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 3.3% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.8% | 3.5% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 43 Burundi 9.1% compare
- 44 Uruguay 9.0% compare
- 45 Iceland 9.0% compare
- 46 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.9% compare
- 47 South Africa 8.9% compare
- 48 Malta 8.8% compare
- 49 Guinea-Bissau 8.8% compare
More health data for South Asia
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, per capita 0.0305 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per capita 0.0255 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 2.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate 2.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0217 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current health expenditure in South Asia?
- Current health expenditure in South Asia was 3.3% 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 South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.1% in 2002.
- What is the lowest current health expenditure recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 2018.
- How does South Asia rank for current health expenditure?
- South Asia ranks 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is current health expenditure rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia 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.