Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending was 1.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Afghanistan, 2002–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
The most recent figure for public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Afghanistan is 1.7%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 110.3% on the previous year and down 67.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Afghanistan peaked at 7.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2022.
That places Afghanistan 193rd out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 0.9% | — |
| 2003 | 7.3% | +716.7% |
| 2004 | 5.5% | -24.0% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | -11.9% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | +20.6% |
| 2008 | 6.1% | +8.3% |
| 2009 | 5.4% | -11.5% |
| 2010 | 5.5% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 5.6% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 4.3% | -22.6% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | +16.0% |
| 2014 | 5.0% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 5.2% | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 5.1% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | -23.7% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | -13.8% |
| 2020 | 7.6% | +127.9% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | -56.8% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | -76.2% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | +110.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 1.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 19.7%, 8% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 1.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 53.1%, 3% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Afghanistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +716.7% | 0.9% | 7.3% |
| 2020 | +127.9% | 3.4% | 7.6% |
| 2023 | +110.3% | 0.8% | 1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.1% | 0.9% | 7.3% | 8 |
| 2010s | 4.8% | 3.4% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.3% | 0.8% | 7.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 812.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 19 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.077 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Afghanistan?
- Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Afghanistan was 1.7% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 7.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2022.
- How does Afghanistan rank for public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending?
- Afghanistan ranks 193rd out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 67.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from domestic public sources for health.