Healthcare Spending: Iran

Analysis# Iran Healthcare Spending Iran allocated 6.025% of its GDP to healthcare in 2023, representing a modest recovery from recent lows but remaining well below historical peaks. The country's healthcare spending peaked at 8.382% of GDP in 2015, while the lowest point occurred in 2002 at 4.652%. Over the full 2000–2023 period, spending increased 27.6%, though the trajectory reveals significant volatility rather than steady growth. A sharp decline marked 2020–2021, when spending dropped to 4.859% of GDP, likely reflecting economic pressures and pandemic-related disruptions. Since then, a gradual upward trend has emerged, with spending rising from 4.859% in 2021 to 6.025% in 2023. The recent uptick suggests renewed investment, though spending remains 25% below the 2015 peak, indicating healthcare funding has not yet returned to pre-decline levels.