External health expenditure in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: External health expenditure was 21.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
External health expenditure in Afghanistan, 2002–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
In 2023, external health expenditure in Afghanistan stood at 21.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external health expenditure in Afghanistan peaked at 22.9% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 6.7%, in 2003.
That places Afghanistan 32nd out of 177 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
External health expenditure in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 13.7% | — |
| 2003 | 6.7% | -51.6% |
| 2004 | 9.9% | +49.4% |
| 2005 | 15.7% | +58.1% |
| 2006 | 18.5% | +17.7% |
| 2007 | 16.2% | -12.5% |
| 2008 | 18.5% | +14.2% |
| 2009 | 21.8% | +18.0% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | -28.8% |
| 2011 | 21.1% | +36.1% |
| 2012 | 21.2% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 22.9% | +8.2% |
| 2014 | 22.0% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 16.4% | -25.2% |
| 2016 | 18.9% | +15.2% |
| 2017 | 19.4% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 19.7% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 19.8% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 16.1% | -18.6% |
| 2021 | 19.3% | +19.9% |
| 2022 | 21.3% | +9.9% |
| 2023 | 21.2% | -0.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 21.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 27.7%, 77% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 21.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.1%, 18.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.1% | 6.7% | 21.8% | 8 |
| 2010s | 19.7% | 15.5% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.5% | 16.1% | 21.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 812.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 19 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.077 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external health expenditure in Afghanistan?
- External health expenditure in Afghanistan was 21.2% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest external health expenditure recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 22.9% in 2013.
- What is the lowest external health expenditure recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.7% in 2003.
- How does Afghanistan rank for external health expenditure?
- Afghanistan ranks 32nd out of 177 countries with data for 2023.
- Is external health expenditure rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from external sources. External sources compose of direct foreign transfers and foreign transfers distributed by government encompassing all financial inflows into the national health system from outside the country. External sources either flow through the government scheme or are channeled through non-governmental organizations or other schemes.