Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care in Least developed countries

Least developed countries: Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care was 75.3% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
75.3%
Change on year
down 0.5%
Rank
1st
of 39 groups
All-time high
89.5%
in 2003
All-time low
75.3%
in 2018
Years of data
14
2003–2018

Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care in Least developed countries, 2003–2018

0204060802003201020182003: 89.5 % of people at risk2004: 87.7 % of people at risk2006: 87 % of people at risk2007: 87 % of people at risk2008: 86 % of people at risk2009: 83.3 % of people at risk2010: 82.7 % of people at risk2011: 85.8 % of people at risk2013: 80.1 % of people at risk2014: 77.9 % of people at risk2015: 76.9 % of people at risk2016: 76.9 % of people at risk2017: 75.6 % of people at risk2018: 75.3 % of people at risk

Source: Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School. Measured in % of people at risk.

Analysis

In 2018, risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care in Least developed countries stood at 75.3%. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.

That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 12.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care in Least developed countries peaked at 89.5% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 75.3%, in 2018.

That places Least developed countries 1st out of 39 groups with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.

Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care in Least developed countries, year by year

Annual values for Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care (% of people at risk) in Least developed countries, 2003 to 2018.
Year % of people at risk Change
2003 89.5%
2004 87.7% -2.0%
2006 87.0% -0.8%
2007 87.0% +0.0%
2008 86.0% -1.1%
2009 83.3% -3.1%
2010 82.7% -0.8%
2011 85.8% +3.7%
2013 80.1% -6.6%
2014 77.9% -2.7%
2015 76.9% -1.3%
2016 76.9% +0.0%
2017 75.6% -1.7%
2018 75.3% -0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 86.8% 83.3% 89.5% 6
2010s 78.9% 75.3% 85.8% 8

Countries ranked near Least developed countries

  1. 1 Burundi 100.0% compare
  2. 1 Côte d'Ivoire 100.0% compare
  3. 3 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 98.0% compare
  4. 4 Madagascar 96.1% compare

See the full ranking of 173 places →

More health data for Least developed countries

All data for Least developed countries →

Frequently asked questions

What is risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care in Least developed countries?
Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care in Least developed countries was 75.3% in 2018, according to Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School.
What is the highest risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care recorded in Least developed countries?
The highest recorded value was 89.5% in 2003.
What is the lowest risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care recorded in Least developed countries?
The lowest recorded value was 75.3% in 2018.
How does Least developed countries rank for risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care?
Least developed countries ranks 1st out of 39 groups with data for 2018.
Is risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care rising or falling in Least developed countries?
Over the last ten years it is down 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Least developed 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 impoverishing expenditure for surgical care (% of people at risk). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care in Least developed countries. Statizoid, drawing on Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/risk-of-impoverishing-expenditure-for-surgical-care-percent-of-people-at-risk/least-developed-countries-un-classification/

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About this data

Indicator
Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care (% of people at risk)
Unit
% of people at risk
Source
Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), Harvard Medical School
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
173 places, 3,065 data points, 2003–2022
Last refreshed

The proportion of population at risk of impoverishing expenditure when surgical care is required. Impoverishing expenditure is defined as direct out of pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care which drive people below a poverty threshold (using a threshold of $2.15 PPP/day).