Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in South Africa
South Africa: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 11.5% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in South Africa, 2005–2022
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
The most recent figure for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in South Africa is 11.5%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 14.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in South Africa peaked at 20.7% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 6.7%, in 2018.
South Africa ranks 67th of 134 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 17 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 20.7% | — |
| 2006 | 19.7% | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | -22.3% |
| 2009 | 10.5% | -31.4% |
| 2010 | 14.1% | +34.3% |
| 2011 | 13.6% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 13.5% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 13.4% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 11.9% | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 12.0% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 6.8% | -43.3% |
| 2017 | 6.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 6.7% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 13.8% | +106.0% |
| 2020 | 11.9% | -13.8% |
| 2021 | 11.6% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 11.5% | -0.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 11.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.4%, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 11.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 51.7%, 22% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +106.0% | 6.7% | 13.8% |
| 2016 | -43.3% | 12.0% | 6.8% |
| 2010 | +34.3% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
| 2009 | -31.4% | 15.3% | 10.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.6% | 10.5% | 20.7% | 4 |
| 2010s | 11.3% | 6.7% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.7% | 11.5% | 11.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More population data for South Africa
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.7997 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1847 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 73,530 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8824 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.0148 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 77.75 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.55 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in South Africa?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in South Africa was 11.5% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 20.7% in 2005.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.7% in 2018.
- How does South Africa rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- South Africa ranks 67th 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 South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 17 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.