Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) was 4.9% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Current health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, current health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 4.9%.
That represents a change of up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 5.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 4.5%, in 2002.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 34th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.9% | — |
| 2001 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 4.5% | -9.2% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | +21.3% |
| 2004 | 5.4% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 5.2% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 5.1% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 4.8% | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | +8.2% |
| 2010 | 5.2% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 5.1% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 4.9% | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 4.9% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 4.7% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 4.9% | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 5.0% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 4.7% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 4.5% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 4.9% | +8.3% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 4.9% | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.5% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 4.5% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0282 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0287 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0016 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Current health expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa was 4.9% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.4% in 2003.
- What is the lowest current health expenditure recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5% in 2002.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for current health expenditure?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 34th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is current health expenditure rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan 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.