This article presents the financing structure of current health expenditure in Sri Lanka.
Domestic general government health expenditure represented 33.6% of current health expenditure in Sri Lanka in 2023. Domestic private health expenditure accounted for 60.4%, including out-of-pocket expenditure equal to 54.8% of current health expenditure. The public-minus-private financing gap was -26.8 percentage points. Over five years, the government financing share changed by -12.1 percentage points, while the private share changed by +7.6 percentage points.
Sri Lanka Public and Private Health Financing by Year
Data source: World Bank, World Development Indicators — Domestic general government health expenditure, % of current health expenditure (SH.XPD.GHED.CH.ZS); Domestic private health expenditure, % of current health expenditure (SH.XPD.PVTD.CH.ZS); Out-of-pocket expenditure, % of current health expenditure (SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS); External health expenditure, % of current health expenditure (SH.XPD.EHEX.CH.ZS); Current health expenditure, % of GDP (SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS); Current health expenditure per capita, current US$ (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD); Current health expenditure per capita, PPP, current international $ (SH.XPD.CHEX.PP.CD).
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About the Indicators
Domestic general government health expenditure, % of current health expenditure. The share of current health expenditure financed by domestic government sources (general and social health insurance).
Domestic private health expenditure, % of current health expenditure. The share of current health expenditure financed by domestic private sources, including households, private insurance and firms.
Out-of-pocket expenditure, % of current health expenditure. The share of current health expenditure paid directly by households at the point of service, a subset of domestic private expenditure.
External health expenditure, % of current health expenditure. The share of current health expenditure financed by external sources, such as foreign governments or international organizations.
Current health expenditure, % of GDP. Total spending on health, excluding capital investment, expressed as a share of GDP.
Current health expenditure per capita, current US$. Current health expenditure divided by population, in current U.S. dollars.
Current health expenditure per capita, PPP, current international $. Current health expenditure per capita, converted using purchasing power parity rates to account for differences in price levels between countries.