Czechia leads in health care spending relative to GDP

Czechia allocates the highest proportion of its GDP to health care among the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, with a share of 9.1%. This commitment surpasses the nearest competitor, Croatia, by 1.4 percentage points, emphasizing Czechia's priority on health care within its economy.

Four countries spend below 5% of GDP on health care

Romania, Latvia, Hungary, and Lithuania are at the lower end of the spectrum, dedicating less than 5% of their GDP to health care. Specifically, Hungary has the lowest investment, with only 4.4%, indicating a potential area for policy review and increased funding to align with regional trends.

Estonia, Bulgaria, and Poland in the middle range

Estonia, Bulgaria, and Poland present a mid-range commitment to health care spending, with their shares of GDP at 6.0%, 5.6%, and 5.3%, respectively. These countries strike a balance between economizing and prioritizing health care within their budgets, showcasing varied approaches to health care funding in the CEE region.

The diversity in health care spending across the CEE

The data reveals a significant variance in health care spending as a share of GDP across the CEE region, ranging from Czechia's 9.1% to Hungary's 4.4%. This disparity indicates differing national priorities, economic capacities, and health care policies among the countries, reflecting the diverse approaches to health care financing in the region.

Slovenia and Slovakia prioritize health care differently

Despite their similar economic structures, Slovenia and Slovakia allocate distinct portions of their GDP to health care, at 7.6% and 6.4%, respectively. This difference highlights the variance in health policy and investment priorities even among countries with comparable economic backgrounds within the CEE.