Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending was 33.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Sri Lanka, 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
Sri Lanka recorded 33.6% for public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.4% on the previous year and down 26.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Sri Lanka peaked at 55.1% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 33.6%, in 2023.
Sri Lanka ranks 148th 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 53.6% | — |
| 2001 | 52.6% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 53.5% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 55.1% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 52.7% | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 52.6% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 51.0% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 48.5% | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 43.2% | -10.9% |
| 2009 | 40.6% | -6.1% |
| 2010 | 40.4% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 42.5% | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 42.2% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 45.4% | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 44.7% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 44.0% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 43.1% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 41.0% | -4.9% |
| 2018 | 45.7% | +11.4% |
| 2019 | 46.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 50.4% | +7.6% |
| 2021 | 43.5% | -13.7% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | -12.0% |
| 2023 | 33.6% | -12.4% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 33.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 59.4%, 57% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 33.6% is below the median for South Asia, which is 36.3%, 92% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 50.3% | 40.6% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.6% | 40.4% | 46.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.5% | 33.6% | 50.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 145 Mauritania 34.2% compare
- 146 Congo 34.0% compare
- 147 Georgia 33.7% compare
- 149 Switzerland 33.1% compare
- 150 Azerbaijan 32.6% compare
- 151 Zimbabwe 32.4% compare
More health data for Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % 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 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % 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 public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Sri Lanka?
- Public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending in Sri Lanka was 33.6% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 55.1% in 2003.
- What is the lowest public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.6% in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending?
- Sri Lanka ranks 148th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is public spending on healthcare as percent of total healthcare spending rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.