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South Africa Health Spending

Current health expenditure as % of GDP  SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS

9.14% +0.23% (+2.6%)
Year 2025 Rank #40 Global Peak 9.14% (2025) Source World Bank

South Africa Health Spending (2000–2025)

Overview

South Africa's health spending stood at 9.14% in 2025, a rise of +0.23% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 9.14% by 2025. South Africa ranked 40th globally.

Data & projection

Year Health Spending YoY change Rank
2026* trend 9.24% - -
2025* trend 9.14% - -
2025 9.14% +0.23% #40
2023 8.91% +0.16% #145
2022 8.75% +0.08% #144
2021 8.66% −0.36% #135
2020 9.02% +0.78% #142
2019 8.25% +0.16% #141
2018 8.08% +0.10% #143
2017 7.98% −0.10% #142
2016 8.08% +0.03% #141
2015 8.05% +0.18% #140
2014 7.87% −0.23% #136
2013 8.10% +0.10% #139
2012 8.00% +0.06% #140
2011 7.94% +0.15% #137
2010 7.79% +0.14% #134
Show all years (2000-2025)
* Linear trend extrapolation

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +14.4% GDP growth 3.2% C/A balance 0.0%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

South Africa matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 1994. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw health spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is South Africa's health spending?

South Africa's health spending was 9.14% in 2025. Ranked 40th globally. This represents a 2.6% increase from the previous year.

What was the highest health spending in South Africa?

South Africa's health spending peaked at 9.14% in 2025.

What was the lowest health spending in South Africa?

The lowest health spending in South Africa was 6.68% in 2002.

How does South Africa rank in health spending?

South Africa ranks 40th globally in health spending as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for health spending?

The World Bank indicator code is SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected health spending of South Africa in 2025?

South Africa's health spending is projected to reach 9.14% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.

What is the health spending of South Africa in 2025?

The health spending of South Africa in 2025 was 9.14%. This ranks 40th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
South Africa Health Spending. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 2, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/south-africa/health-spending
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_south-africa_health-spending, title = {South Africa Health Spending}, url = {https://historysaid.com/south-africa/health-spending}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }