Countries With the Fastest Decline in Health expenditure per capita (5-Year Change)
Change in Health expenditure per capita over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Yemen, Rep. fell the most: by 66.7%, from US$143.7 per person to US$47.8 per person in the five years to 2023. Lebanon is second (−64.8%), followed by Lao PDR (−52%). 32 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −13.5%.
- #1
- Yemen, Rep. · −66.7%
- Median
- −13.5%
- Coverage
- 32 countries
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yemen, Rep. | 143.7 | 47.8 | −66.7% |
| 2 | Lebanon | 740.4 | 260.8 | −64.8% |
| 3 | Lao PDR | 57.2 | 27.4 | −52% |
| 4 | Zimbabwe | 114.8 | 62.9 | −45.2% |
| 5 | Sudan | 33.9 | 21.1 | −37.8% |
| 6 | Suriname | 440.3 | 297.1 | −32.5% |
| 7 | Syrian Arab Republic | 46.2 | 33.3 | −27.9% |
| 8 | Pakistan | 40.1 | 30.5 | −24% |
| 9 | Sierra Leone | 44.8 | 35.8 | −20.2% |
| 10 | Madagascar | 21.1 | 17.4 | −17.5% |
| 11 | Afghanistan | 71.2 | 59.1 | −17.1% |
| 12 | Niger | 30.6 | 26 | −15% |
| 13 | Fiji | 249.9 | 212.9 | −14.8% |
| 14 | Japan | 4,266 | 3,638 | −14.7% |
| 15 | Algeria | 271.5 | 233.4 | −14.1% |
| 16 | Libya | 544.9 | 470.4 | −13.7% |
| 17 | Namibia | 457.7 | 397.1 | −13.2% |
| 18 | Sri Lanka | 154.7 | 134.2 | −13.2% |
| 19 | Haiti | 62.3 | 54.4 | −12.7% |
| 20 | Tanzania | 41.3 | 36.3 | −12.2% |
| 21 | Angola | 83.9 | 76.1 | −9.31% |
| 22 | Qatar | 1,967 | 1,804 | −8.25% |
| 23 | Myanmar | 60.8 | 56.2 | −7.63% |
| 24 | Palau | 1,809 | 1,684 | −6.93% |
| 25 | Lesotho | 130.9 | 122.6 | −6.34% |
| 26 | South Africa | 558.8 | 536.6 | −3.97% |
| 27 | Mauritius | 640.6 | 616.2 | −3.81% |
| 28 | Equatorial Guinea | 240.5 | 233.7 | −2.83% |
| 29 | Dominica | 503.3 | 492.5 | −2.16% |
| 30 | Brunei Darussalam | 748.7 | 733 | −2.09% |
| 31 | Antigua and Barbuda | 856.4 | 841.3 | −1.77% |
| 32 | San Marino | 3,969 | 3,924 | −1.16% |
About the top 10
#1 Yemen, Rep.
Yemen, Rep. ranks #1 on this list with −66.7%.
- Capital
- Sanaa, Aden
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 41.77 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 398,000 arrivals (2015)
- CO2 emissions per person
- 0.261 t CO2e per person (2024)
Also ranks #2 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #2 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #12 in unemployment rate.
#2 Lebanon
Lebanon ranks #2 on this list with −64.8%.
- Capital
- Beirut
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$25.97 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$4,473 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 91% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Beirut.
Also ranks #1 in official exchange rate · #2 in smoking prevalence · #7 in refugee population by asylum.
#3 Lao PDR
Lao PDR ranks #3 on this list with −52%.
- Capital
- Vientiane
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 7.87 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$18.3 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,325 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 40.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in time to start a business (days) · #4 in official exchange rate · #7 in livestock production index.
#4 Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe ranks #4 on this list with −45.2%.
- Capital
- Harare
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 16.95 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$51.22 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,021 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 40.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Harare, Masvingo.
Also ranks #2 in lending interest rate · #3 in inflation rate · #4 in income share of richest 10%.
#5 Sudan
Sudan ranks #5 on this list with −37.8%.
- Capital
- Khartoum
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$60.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,165 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 34.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Khartoum, Omdurman.
Also ranks #2 in inflation rate · #4 in children out of school (primary) · #5 in refugee population by origin.
#6 Suriname
Suriname ranks #6 on this list with −32.5%.
- Capital
- Paramaribo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 639,850 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4.52 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,070 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in forest area share · #3 in irrigated land share · #3 in water resources per capita.
#7 Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic ranks #7 on this list with −27.9%.
- Capital
- Damascus
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$23.74 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$1,057 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 72.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Damascus, Aleppo.
Also ranks #2 in refugee population by origin · #2 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #3 in net migration.
#8 Pakistan
Pakistan ranks #8 on this list with −24%.
- Capital
- Islamabad
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 255.22 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$407.31 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,596 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 39.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad.
Also ranks #1 in diabetes prevalence · #2 in children out of school (primary) · #3 in rural population.
#9 Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone ranks #9 on this list with −20.2%.
- Capital
- Freetown
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 8.82 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$7.46 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$846.3 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in school enrolment (primary) · #7 in under-5 mortality rate · #8 in forest rents share of gdp.
#10 Madagascar
Madagascar ranks #10 on this list with −17.5%.
- Capital
- Antananarivo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 32.74 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.62 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$599.3 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 32.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Antananarivo.
Also ranks #1 in female labour force participation · #1 in lending interest rate · #2 in labour force participation rate.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Health expenditure per capita over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Current health expenditure per capita (current US$): Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.