Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Malawi
Malawi: Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending was 12.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Malawi, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
In 2023, public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Malawi stood at 12.8%. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Malawi peaked at 43.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 12.8%, in 2023.
Malawi ranks 185th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 43.2% | — |
| 2001 | 40.6% | -5.9% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | -11.0% |
| 2003 | 35.4% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 21.1% | -40.5% |
| 2005 | 24.5% | +16.2% |
| 2006 | 19.2% | -21.5% |
| 2007 | 13.5% | -29.7% |
| 2008 | 22.4% | +65.9% |
| 2009 | 18.0% | -19.7% |
| 2010 | 22.0% | +22.4% |
| 2011 | 21.7% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 15.9% | -26.6% |
| 2013 | 18.0% | +13.5% |
| 2014 | 22.7% | +26.1% |
| 2015 | 28.6% | +26.0% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | -13.7% |
| 2017 | 22.7% | -8.3% |
| 2018 | 24.5% | +8.2% |
| 2019 | 24.1% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 22.2% | -7.8% |
| 2021 | 18.1% | -18.4% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | -26.9% |
| 2023 | 12.8% | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27.4% | 13.5% | 43.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.5% | 15.9% | 28.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.6% | 12.8% | 22.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Malawi?
- Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Malawi was 12.8% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 43.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.8% in 2023.
- How does Malawi rank for public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending?
- Malawi ranks 185th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from domestic public sources for health.