Sierra Leone — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Sierra Leone, 2000–2023.
Health spending for Sierra Leone was 4.72% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 15.12% in 2014. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.50% per year.
Sierra Leone ranks 129 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 68%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.48%, so Sierra Leone sits above it. It peaked in 2014 and has fallen 69% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved down 44%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 21 of 46 economies; Cameroon (4.55%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 79% in 2014. That is 38% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 2000 level: doubled by 2014.
World ranking. Slipped: 80th of 184 in 2000 → 90th of 188 in 2010 → 123rd of 189 in 2020 → 128th of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4.72% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 4.8% | -0.3 pp |
| 2021 | 5.07% | -0.6 pp |
| 2020 | 5.66% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 5.71% | +0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 5.3% | -0.7 pp |
| 2017 | 6.01% | -4.0 pp |
| 2016 | 10.05% | -2.3 pp |
| 2015 | 12.38% | -2.7 pp |
| 2014 | 15.12% | +6.7 pp |
| 2013 | 8.46% | +2.5 pp |
| 2012 | 5.93% | -0.7 pp |
| 2011 | 6.61% | +1.0 pp |
| 2010 | 5.64% | -0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 6.27% | +0.7 pp |
| 2008 | 5.6% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 5.32% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 5.3% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 5.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 5.24% | +0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 5.06% | -0.5 pp |
| 2002 | 5.55% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 5.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 5.29% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sierra Leone’s Health spending in 2001?
5.22% (2001). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sierra Leone’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was shrinking overall: -10.8% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2023: 4.72%; 2022: 4.8%; 2021: 5.07%; 2020: 5.66%; 2019: 5.71%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.