Uganda Health Spending
Current health expenditure as % of GDP SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
Uganda's health spending was 4.68% in 2025, ranked 138th globally. This represents a 10.4% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2000–2025.
Overview
Uganda's health spending stood at 4.68% in 2025, a rise of +0.44% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 4.68% by 2025. Uganda ranked 138th globally.
Uganda’s health‑care expenditure as a share of gross domestic product has declined steadily since the early 2010s, falling from an all‑time peak of 6.81 % in 2010 to a trough of 3.79 % in 2019, before modestly recovering to 4.68 % in 2025, which places the country 138th globally. Over the 25‑year series the downward trajectory reflects constrained fiscal space, limited domestic revenue mobilisation and competing priorities in a low‑income context. The 2025 figure is marginally below the spending level of Grenada (4.69 % of GDP), a peer that occupies a similar rank in the World Bank database, suggesting that Uganda remains slightly behind comparable small‑state economies in allocating resources to health. The modest rebound after 2019 coincides with renewed donor commitments and the implementation of a national health insurance scheme, yet the pace of increase is insufficient to restore pre‑2010 levels. Continued expansion of domestic tax bases and sustained external assistance will be pivotal if Uganda is to reverse the long‑term decline and achieve a more robust health‑spending trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Health Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 4.69% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 4.68% | - | - |
| 2025 | 4.68% | +0.44% | #138 |
| 2023 | 4.24% | −0.21% | #42 |
| 2022 | 4.45% | −1.02% | #53 |
| 2021 | 5.47% | +0.24% | #70 |
| 2020 | 5.24% | +1.45% | #57 |
| 2019 | 3.79% | −0.23% | #32 |
| 2018 | 4.02% | +0.02% | #38 |
| 2017 | 4.00% | −1.02% | #37 |
| 2016 | 5.02% | +0.02% | #68 |
| 2015 | 5.00% | −0.34% | #67 |
| 2014 | 5.34% | −0.45% | #86 |
| 2013 | 5.78% | −0.33% | #98 |
| 2012 | 6.11% | −0.59% | #104 |
| 2011 | 6.70% | −0.11% | #117 |
| 2010 | 6.81% | +1.02% | #118 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Uganda matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 2011. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw health spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Uganda's health spending was 4.68% in 2025. Ranked 138th globally. This represents a 10.4% increase from the previous year.
Uganda's health spending peaked at 6.81% in 2010.
The lowest health spending in Uganda was 3.79% in 2019.
Uganda ranks 138th globally in health spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Uganda's health spending is projected to reach 4.68% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The health spending of Uganda in 2025 was 4.68%. This ranks 138th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_uganda_health-spending,
title = {Uganda Health Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/uganda/health-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}