Health spending as a share of total government spending in Malaysia
Malaysia: Health spending as a share of total government spending was 7.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Malaysia, 2000–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for health spending as a share of total government spending in Malaysia is 7.9%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and up 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health spending as a share of total government spending in Malaysia peaked at 10.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 2000.
That places Malaysia 128th out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.6% | — |
| 2001 | 4.8% | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | +5.2% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 5.6% | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | +17.9% |
| 2007 | 6.3% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | +7.6% |
| 2011 | 6.5% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 6.5% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 6.8% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 7.8% | +14.8% |
| 2015 | 8.2% | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 8.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 8.7% | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 8.5% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 8.5% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 8.7% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 10.1% | +15.7% |
| 2022 | 8.0% | -20.4% |
| 2023 | 7.9% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.6% | 4.6% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.6% | 6.3% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.7% | 7.9% | 10.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 125 Central African Republic 8.5% compare
- 126 Solomon Islands 8.4% compare
- 127 Mauritius 8.2% compare
- 129 Somalia 7.9% compare
- 130 Uzbekistan 7.9% compare
- 131 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7.9% compare
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % 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 1 652 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.007 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 4.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0055 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 133 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is health spending as a share of total government spending in Malaysia?
- Health spending as a share of total government spending in Malaysia was 7.9% in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 2000.
- How does Malaysia rank for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- Malaysia ranks 128th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is health spending as a share of total government spending rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Health spending as a share of total government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.