External health expenditure in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: External health expenditure was 3.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling
External health expenditure in Bangladesh, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external health expenditure in Bangladesh is 3.5%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.0% on the previous year and down 61.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external health expenditure in Bangladesh peaked at 10.0% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 2023.
That places Bangladesh 79th out of 177 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
External health expenditure in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.8% | — |
| 2001 | 9.8% | +25.9% |
| 2002 | 10.0% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 9.7% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 10.0% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 9.5% | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 8.1% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 8.3% | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | +12.5% |
| 2010 | 9.0% | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 8.6% | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 9.1% | +6.0% |
| 2013 | 9.0% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 8.3% | -7.4% |
| 2015 | 7.8% | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 6.2% | -20.8% |
| 2017 | 6.1% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | -34.8% |
| 2020 | 4.1% | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 4.1% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 3.6% | -11.8% |
| 2023 | 3.5% | -4.0% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 3.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.8%, 30% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 3.5% is below the median for South Asia, which is 4.8%, 73% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.1% | 7.8% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 3.8% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 3.5% | 4.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More health data for Bangladesh
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.36 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,153 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,062 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 35 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.8772 % 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 0.0468 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.7714 % 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 external health expenditure in Bangladesh?
- External health expenditure in Bangladesh was 3.5% 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 Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 10.0% in 2004.
- What is the lowest external health expenditure recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 2023.
- How does Bangladesh rank for external health expenditure?
- Bangladesh ranks 79th out of 177 countries with data for 2023.
- Is external health expenditure rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bangladesh 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.
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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.