Health spending as a share of total government spending in Zambia
Zambia: Health spending as a share of total government spending was 8.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Zambia, 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 Zambia is 8.9%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 63.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health spending as a share of total government spending in Zambia peaked at 10.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.3%, in 2003.
That places Zambia 115th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.9% | — |
| 2001 | 6.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 6.9% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 5.3% | -22.7% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | +6.2% |
| 2005 | 5.5% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 6.7% | +21.8% |
| 2007 | 7.5% | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 8.1% | +9.1% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | +15.0% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | -7.8% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | -6.7% |
| 2012 | 7.1% | -12.4% |
| 2013 | 5.5% | -22.7% |
| 2014 | 7.8% | +42.8% |
| 2015 | 7.6% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 7.2% | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 10.1% | +40.3% |
| 2018 | 7.5% | -25.1% |
| 2019 | 7.6% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 10.6% | +39.4% |
| 2021 | 9.3% | -12.4% |
| 2022 | 8.9% | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 8.9% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.9% | 5.3% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.7% | 5.5% | 10.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.4% | 8.9% | 10.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 112 Kuwait 9.0% compare
- 113 Kiribati 9.0% compare
- 114 Rwanda 8.9% compare
- 116 Burkina Faso 8.8% compare
- 117 Sao Tome and Principe 8.8% compare
- 118 Philippines 8.8% compare
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0018 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 4.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0011 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is health spending as a share of total government spending in Zambia?
- Health spending as a share of total government spending in Zambia was 8.9% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.3% in 2003.
- How does Zambia rank for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- Zambia ranks 115th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is health spending as a share of total government spending rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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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CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.