Healthcare Spending: Malta

Analysis# Malta Healthcare Spending Malta allocated 8.843% of its GDP to healthcare in 2023, reflecting a 33.5% increase since 2000 when spending stood at 6.626% of GDP. The country's healthcare expenditure peaked at 9.854% in 2020, driven by pandemic-related pressures, before declining to current levels. Despite recent moderation, Malta's spending remains substantially elevated compared to early 2000s baselines. A sharp spike occurred in 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 crisis, followed by a consistent downward trajectory through 2023. From 2014 to 2018, spending declined from 8.885% to 8.113%, then rebounded through 2020 before settling into a gradual descent. The 2023 figure suggests stabilization around the mid-8% range, indicating Malta may have absorbed pandemic-related costs while returning to a more sustainable spending level relative to economic output.