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Public spending on health: a closer look at global trends

A report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals a swift upward trajectory of global health spending, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where health spending is growing on an annual average of 6% compared to 4% in high-income countries. Titled ‘Public Spending on Health: A Closer Look at Global Trends,’ the 2018 global health financing report presents health spending data for all WHO Member States between 2000 and 2016. It shows a transformation trajectory for global spending on health, with increasing domestic public funding and declining external financing. The report also presents, for the first time, spending on primary healthcare and specific diseases, and looks closely at the relationship between spending and service coverage.