Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care (% of people) in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care (% of people) was 48.1% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 2009–2018
Source: Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
In 2018, risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 48.1%.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 55.6% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 46.9%, in 2016.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 7th out of 39 groups with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care (% of people) in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 55.6% | — |
| 2010 | 53.8% | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 49.9% | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 46.9% | -6.2% |
| 2018 | 48.1% | +2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 55.6% | 55.6% | 55.6% | 1 |
| 2010s | 49.7% | 46.9% | 53.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 4 Latvia 89.9% compare
- 5 Central African Republic 89.7%
- 6 Syria 87.5% compare
- 7 Guinea-Bissau 86.5% compare
- 8 Niger 86.3% compare
- 9 Democratic Republic of Congo 85.0% compare
- 10 Sierra Leone 84.3% compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, female, annual growth rate 2.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, male, per capita 0.047 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, male, annual growth rate 3.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per capita 0.0465 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.055 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, annual growth rate 2.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 48.1% in 2018, according to Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School.
- What is the highest risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 55.6% in 2009.
- What is the lowest risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.9% in 2016.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 7th out of 39 groups with data for 2018.
- Is risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School, published as part of Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care (% of people at risk). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The proportion of population at risk of catastrophic expenditure when surgical care is required. Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out of pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.