Healthcare Spending: Cambodia

Analysis# Cambodia Healthcare Spending Cambodia allocated 4.617% of its GDP to healthcare in 2023, down significantly from its 2002 peak of 6.92%. The country's healthcare spending has declined 28.8% since 2000, with the lowest point occurring in 2017 at 4.269%. Current spending levels place Cambodia near the bottom of its 23-year range, reflecting a long-term contraction in health investment relative to economic output. The most striking trend emerged in 2021, when spending surged to 6.339%—likely driven by pandemic-related healthcare demands. This spike proved temporary; spending fell dramatically to 4.469% in 2022 before recovering modestly to 4.617% in 2023. The recent volatility masks an underlying downward trajectory, with Cambodia's healthcare spending persistently below early-2000s levels. Without substantial policy shifts, the current spending trajectory suggests continued pressure on health system resources.