Out-of-pocket expenditure in Cameroon
Cameroon: Out-of-pocket expenditure was 67.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Out-of-pocket expenditure in Cameroon, 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 out-of-pocket expenditure in Cameroon is 67.7%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-pocket expenditure in Cameroon peaked at 78.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 66.8%, in 2012.
That places Cameroon 9th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Out-of-pocket expenditure in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 78.5% | — |
| 2001 | 75.1% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 70.2% | -6.6% |
| 2003 | 71.5% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 73.9% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 74.3% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 74.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 75.6% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 74.2% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 76.8% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 76.0% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 69.6% | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 66.8% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 69.7% | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 69.0% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 73.8% | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 73.4% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 78.5% | +6.9% |
| 2018 | 72.3% | -7.9% |
| 2019 | 72.2% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 71.9% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 70.6% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 67.8% | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 67.7% | -0.2% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 67.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37.6%, 1.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 67.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 32.4%, 2.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 74.4% | 70.2% | 78.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.1% | 66.8% | 78.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.5% | 67.7% | 71.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More health data for Cameroon
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7821 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 786.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12,841 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 17 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.22 % 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 0.0746 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.21 % 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 out-of-pocket expenditure in Cameroon?
- Out-of-pocket expenditure in Cameroon was 67.7% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 78.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.8% in 2012.
- How does Cameroon rank for out-of-pocket expenditure?
- Cameroon ranks 9th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-pocket expenditure rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Out-of-pocket expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of out-of-pocket payments of total current health expenditures. Out-of-pocket payments are spending on health directly out-of-pocket by households.