Domestic general government health expenditure in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Domestic general government health expenditure was 33.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Domestic general government health expenditure in Sri Lanka, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
In 2023, domestic general government health expenditure in Sri Lanka stood at 33.6%. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.4% on the previous year and down 26.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, domestic general government health expenditure in Sri Lanka peaked at 55.1% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 33.6%, in 2023.
That places Sri Lanka 148th out of 193 countries 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.
Domestic general government health expenditure in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 53.6% | — |
| 2001 | 52.6% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 53.5% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 55.1% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 52.7% | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 52.6% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 51.0% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 48.5% | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 43.2% | -10.9% |
| 2009 | 40.6% | -6.1% |
| 2010 | 40.4% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 42.5% | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 42.2% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 45.4% | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 44.7% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 44.0% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 43.1% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 41.0% | -4.9% |
| 2018 | 45.7% | +11.4% |
| 2019 | 46.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 50.4% | +7.6% |
| 2021 | 43.5% | -13.7% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | -12.0% |
| 2023 | 33.6% | -12.4% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 33.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 59.4%, 57% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 33.6% is below the median for South Asia, which is 36.3%, 92% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 50.3% | 40.6% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.6% | 40.4% | 46.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.5% | 33.6% | 50.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 145 Mauritania 34.2% compare
- 146 Congo 34.0% compare
- 147 Georgia 33.7% compare
- 149 Switzerland 33.1% compare
- 150 Azerbaijan 32.6% compare
- 151 Zimbabwe 32.4% compare
More health data for Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % 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 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is domestic general government health expenditure in Sri Lanka?
- Domestic general government health expenditure in Sri Lanka was 33.6% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest domestic general government health expenditure recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 55.1% in 2003.
- What is the lowest domestic general government health expenditure recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.6% in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for domestic general government health expenditure?
- Sri Lanka ranks 148th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is domestic general government health expenditure rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Domestic general government health expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from domestic public sources for health. Domestic public sources include domestic revenue as internal transfers and grants, transfers, subsidies to voluntary health insurance beneficiaries, non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) or enterprise financing schemes as well as compulsory prepayment and social health insurance contributions. They do not include external resources spent by governments on health.