Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 11.3% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Malaysia, 2003–2018
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
The most recent figure for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Malaysia is 11.3%, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 54.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Malaysia peaked at 33.7% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2018.
That places Malaysia 69th out of 134 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 33.7% | — |
| 2004 | 33.6% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 32.3% | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 26.5% | -18.0% |
| 2007 | 28.8% | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 24.8% | -13.9% |
| 2009 | 22.7% | -8.5% |
| 2010 | 22.9% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 19.9% | -13.1% |
| 2012 | 17.9% | -10.1% |
| 2013 | 14.4% | -19.6% |
| 2014 | 21.6% | +50.0% |
| 2015 | 12.2% | -43.5% |
| 2016 | 12.6% | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 11.7% | -7.1% |
| 2018 | 11.3% | -3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 28.9% | 22.7% | 33.7% | 7 |
| 2010s | 16.1% | 11.3% | 22.9% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 66 El Salvador 13.3% compare
- 67 Namibia 11.5% compare
- 67 South Africa 11.5% compare
- 70 Algeria 10.8% compare
- 70 Russian Federation 10.8% compare
- 70 Seychelles 10.8% compare
More population data for Malaysia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.88 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.2686 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 41,032 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8625 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1472 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.3% (2100)
- Population density 134 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.91 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Malaysia?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Malaysia was 11.3% in 2018, 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 33.7% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2018.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- Malaysia ranks 69th out of 134 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia 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 — 16 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.