External health expenditure per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: External health expenditure per capita was 12.26 current US$ in 2023. ▲ Rising
External health expenditure per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 12.26 current US$ for external health expenditure per capita in 2023.
That represents a change of up 7.2% on the previous year and down 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external health expenditure per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 13.51 current US$ in 2013 and was at its lowest, 1.88 current US$, in 2001.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th of 42 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
External health expenditure per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.4 current US$ | — |
| 2001 | 1.88 current US$ | -21.8% |
| 2002 | 2.15 current US$ | +14.5% |
| 2003 | 3.6 current US$ | +67.8% |
| 2004 | 4.79 current US$ | +32.9% |
| 2005 | 7.43 current US$ | +55.1% |
| 2006 | 7.47 current US$ | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 8.42 current US$ | +12.7% |
| 2008 | 9.53 current US$ | +13.1% |
| 2009 | 10.27 current US$ | +7.8% |
| 2010 | 11.58 current US$ | +12.7% |
| 2011 | 12.67 current US$ | +9.4% |
| 2012 | 12.22 current US$ | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 13.51 current US$ | +10.5% |
| 2014 | 11.65 current US$ | -13.8% |
| 2015 | 10.21 current US$ | -12.4% |
| 2016 | 9.55 current US$ | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 9.5 current US$ | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 9.7 current US$ | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 10.54 current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2020 | 10.31 current US$ | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 11.29 current US$ | +9.6% |
| 2022 | 11.43 current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 12.26 current US$ | +7.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.79 current US$ | 1.88 current US$ | 10.27 current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.11 current US$ | 9.5 current US$ | 13.51 current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.32 current US$ | 10.31 current US$ | 12.26 current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 4 Naoero 307.77 current US$ compare
- 5 Marshall Islands 205.1 current US$ compare
- 6 Tonga 158.17 current US$ compare
- 7 Luxembourg 101.21 current US$ compare
- 8 Eswatini 84.19 current US$ compare
- 9 Sao Tome and Principe 75.13 current US$ compare
- 10 Israel 56.84 current US$ compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.4038 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.2801 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate 3.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.2837 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate 2.96 % change on previous year (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external health expenditure per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- External health expenditure per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa was 12.26 current US$ in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest external health expenditure per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 13.51 current US$ in 2013.
- What is the lowest external health expenditure per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.88 current US$ in 2001.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for external health expenditure per capita?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th out of 42 groups with data for 2023.
- Is external health expenditure per capita rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 External health expenditure per capita (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Current external expenditures on health per capita expressed in current US dollars. External sources are composed of direct foreign transfers and foreign transfers distributed by government encompassing all financial inflows into the national health system from outside the country.