Health system composite index in South Africa
South Africa: Health system composite index was -0.8876 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Health system composite index in South Africa, 1965–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in standard deviations from the yearly mean.
Analysis
In 2024, health system composite index in South Africa stood at -0.8876 standard deviations from the yearly mean.
That represents a change of down 23.8% on the previous year and down 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health system composite index in South Africa peaked at 0.4964 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1983 and was at its lowest, -1.48 standard deviations from the yearly mean, in 2005.
That places South Africa 160th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Health system composite index in South Africa, year by year
| Year | standard deviations from the yearly mean | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | -0.0551 standard deviations from the yearly mean | — |
| 1975 | -0.2072 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +275.9% |
| 1978 | -0.8725 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +321.2% |
| 1983 | 0.4964 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -156.9% |
| 1984 | 0.3801 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -23.4% |
| 1985 | 0.2888 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -24.0% |
| 1986 | 0.0838 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -71.0% |
| 1987 | -0.1779 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -312.2% |
| 1988 | -0.0214 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -88.0% |
| 1989 | 0.2425 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1232.2% |
| 1990 | 0.0192 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -92.1% |
| 1991 | 0.1975 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +928.2% |
| 1992 | -0.2066 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -204.6% |
| 1993 | 0.1272 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -161.5% |
| 1994 | -0.1857 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -246.0% |
| 1995 | -0.2749 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +48.0% |
| 1996 | -0.4983 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +81.3% |
| 1997 | -0.2073 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -58.4% |
| 1998 | -0.3273 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +57.9% |
| 1999 | -0.5026 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +53.5% |
| 2000 | -0.6718 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +33.7% |
| 2001 | -0.8822 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +31.3% |
| 2002 | -0.8726 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.1% |
| 2003 | -1.36 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +56.4% |
| 2004 | -0.9552 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -30.0% |
| 2005 | -1.48 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +54.6% |
| 2006 | -1.38 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -6.4% |
| 2007 | -1.08 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -21.9% |
| 2008 | -0.9398 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -12.9% |
| 2009 | -0.9679 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +3.0% |
| 2010 | -0.9259 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -4.3% |
| 2011 | -0.9849 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +6.4% |
| 2012 | -0.9311 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -5.5% |
| 2013 | -0.9368 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +0.6% |
| 2014 | -0.7313 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -21.9% |
| 2015 | -0.63 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -13.9% |
| 2016 | -0.6511 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +3.4% |
| 2017 | -0.7201 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +10.6% |
| 2018 | -0.6924 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -3.9% |
| 2019 | -0.6636 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -4.2% |
| 2020 | -0.5091 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -23.3% |
| 2021 | -0.631 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +23.9% |
| 2022 | -0.533 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -15.5% |
| 2023 | -0.7172 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +34.6% |
| 2024 | -0.8876 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +23.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -0.8876 standard deviations from the yearly mean is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.1594 standard deviations from the yearly mean. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -0.8876 standard deviations from the yearly mean is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.9444 standard deviations from the yearly mean, 94% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Health system composite index in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +1232.2% | -0.0214 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.2425 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1991 | +928.2% | 0.0192 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.1975 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1978 | -321.2% | -0.2072 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.8725 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1987 | -312.2% | 0.0838 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.1779 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1975 | -275.9% | -0.0551 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.2072 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.0551 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.0551 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.0551 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 1 |
| 1970s | -0.5398 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.8725 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.2072 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.1846 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.1779 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.4964 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 7 |
| 1990s | -0.1859 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.5026 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.1975 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.06 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.48 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.6718 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.7867 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.9849 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.63 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.6556 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.8876 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.5091 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 157 Eswatini -0.6992 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 158 Kiribati -0.7545 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 159 Burkina Faso -0.8022 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 161 East Timor -0.9219 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 162 Djibouti -0.9329 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 163 Haiti -0.9365 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % 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 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % 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 health system composite index in South Africa?
- Health system composite index in South Africa was -0.8876 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest health system composite index recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4964 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1983.
- What is the lowest health system composite index recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.48 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for health system composite index?
- South Africa ranks 160th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is health system composite index rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Health system composite index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
An equal-weighted index of 4 indicators: Life expectancy at birth, total; Physicians per 1000 people; Hospital beds per 1000 people; Immunization, measles. Each is standardised against that year's spread across all reporting countries before averaging, so a score of 0 is the average country and +1 is one standard deviation above it.
Equal-weighted mean of the standardised inputs below.
Computed from
- Life expectancy at birth, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Hospital beds per 1,000 people World Health Organization (WHO) data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Immunization, measles World Health Organization (WHO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
An equal-weighted index of 4 indicators: Life expectancy at birth, total; Physicians per 1000 people; Hospital beds per 1000 people; Immunization, measles. Each is standardised against that year's spread across all reporting countries before averaging, so a score of 0 is the average country and +1 is one standard deviation above it.