Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in India
India: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 20.4% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in India, 2003–2022
Source: Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
India recorded 20.4% for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
The figure is down 10.5% on the previous year and down 60.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in India peaked at 81.0% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 20.4%, in 2022.
India ranks 52nd of 134 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in India, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 81.0% | — |
| 2004 | 78.3% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 76.9% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 73.8% | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 70.5% | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 67.2% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 63.1% | -6.1% |
| 2010 | 57.8% | -8.4% |
| 2011 | 52.8% | -8.7% |
| 2012 | 51.3% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 53.2% | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 46.4% | -12.8% |
| 2015 | 42.5% | -8.4% |
| 2016 | 37.9% | -10.8% |
| 2017 | 30.1% | -20.6% |
| 2018 | 25.0% | -16.9% |
| 2019 | 23.8% | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 24.1% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 22.8% | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 20.4% | -10.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 73.0% | 63.1% | 81.0% | 7 |
| 2010s | 42.1% | 23.8% | 57.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.4% | 20.4% | 24.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near India
More population data for India
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2494 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4607 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.67 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7665 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7604 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 506.27 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 66.77 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in India?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in India was 20.4% in 2022, according to Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 81.0% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.4% in 2022.
- How does India rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- India ranks 52nd out of 134 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.