Health care in Sri Lanka

The Ministry of Health's yearly report for 2024 counts 688 hospitals and 91,159 beds, and outpatient visits by kind of hospital that add to 55,424,711 (Dooram's sum). The Central Bank's table of government health services gives the same 688 hospitals, 91,159 beds and 55,425 thousand outpatient visits, from the ministry's Medical Statistics Unit.

The quotation is the ministry's (its yearly report and its performance report for 2024). The Ministry of Finance writes of money allocated "to sustain free healthcare services across the country". The nine provincial councils pay for health care too (the Ministry of Finance's report and the ministry's).

Private hospitals, private insurance and cover through work: the ministry's two reports give different counts of private hospitals, so none is given (each read once); how many people have private insurance or cover through work was not looked at yet.

Sources: Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Annual Health Bulletin 2024 (the publisher's list of reports), chapter 1, the summary table, table 9.2. Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Annual Economic Review 2025, with its statistical appendix, 2026, statistical appendix, table 44, read 20 October 2026. Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Sri Lanka, Annual Performance Report 2024, chapter 1, read 20 October 2026. Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Sri Lanka, Final Budget Position Report (Annual Report) 2025, 2026, section 5.9.1, read 20 October 2026.

Current spending on health, public and private, without investment in buildings and equipment, as a share of gross domestic product (GDP), the value of everything the country produces in a year, by the count of the World Health Organization (WHO), made with each country's own data: 3.68% for Sri Lanka in 2023, rounded here to one decimal. 2023 is the newest year the WHO has for every country on the dial, so every figure it is set against is the same year and the same count.

On the dial, "typical" means between the lowest quarter and the highest quarter of the 10 countries Dooram covers: from 8.8% to 11.6% of GDP. "Less than most" is below that, "more than most" above it.

Read on 21 October 2026 in the WHO's Global Health Observatory and again in the World Bank's copy of the same series; the two give the same figure for every country.

The next card shows how the share has moved since 2019, from the same database. Sri Lanka's own health accounts, the Institute for Health Policy's, could not be read: its site answers with a bot check.

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database, through its Global Health Observatory and the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Global Health Expenditure Database, current health expenditure as a share of gross domestic product (GHED_CHEGDP_SHA2011), 2023 (the World Health Organization's health accounts, every country's share of its economy spent on health, 2023), GHED_CHEGDP_SHA2011; the World Bank's SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, read 21 October 2026.

Current spending on health, without investment, by the World Health Organization's count, made with the country's data: 3.68% of gross domestic product in 2023 and $134.24 a person (about 44,000 rupees at the 2023 average of 327.53 rupees to $1, Dooram's conversion). Read in WHO's Global Health Observatory and again in the World Bank's copy of the same database; both give the same figures for every year shown.

Sri Lanka's own health accounts, the Institute for Health Policy's, could not be read: its site answers with a bot check. The Ministry of Health's own accounts on its site are for 2017 and 2018.

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database, through its Global Health Observatory and the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Global Health Expenditure Database, Sri Lanka (GHED_CHEGDP_SHA2011, GHED_CHE_pc_US_SHA2011, GHED_GGHE-DCHE_SHA2011, GHED_PVT-DCHE_SHA2011, GHED_OOPSCHE_SHA2011, GHED_OOP_pc_US_SHA2011, GHED_EXTCHE_SHA2011) (the World Health Organization's health accounts for Sri Lanka, 2019 to 2023), GHED_CHEGDP_SHA2011 and GHED_CHE_pc_US_SHA2011; SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS and SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, read 20 October 2026. Central Bank of Sri Lanka, read again in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Average exchange rates, annual, US dollar (statistical appendix, table 97); Official exchange rate, PA.NUS.FCRF, read 20 October 2026.

The World Health Organization's shares of current health spending in 2023: domestic general government 33.57%, out of pocket 54.81%, external sources 6.05%, private 60.38%; private other than out of pocket, 5.57%, is Dooram's subtraction. Read in its Global Health Observatory and again in the World Bank's indicators.

The Ministry of Health names "government tax revenue and out of pocket health expenditure of households" as the two main sources of health money (its yearly report for 2024, section 1.5).

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database, through its Global Health Observatory and the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Global Health Expenditure Database, Sri Lanka (GHED_CHEGDP_SHA2011, GHED_CHE_pc_US_SHA2011, GHED_GGHE-DCHE_SHA2011, GHED_PVT-DCHE_SHA2011, GHED_OOPSCHE_SHA2011, GHED_OOP_pc_US_SHA2011, GHED_EXTCHE_SHA2011) (the World Health Organization's health accounts for Sri Lanka, 2019 to 2023), GHED_GGHE-DCHE_SHA2011, GHED_OOPSCHE_SHA2011, GHED_EXTCHE_SHA2011, GHED_PVT-DCHE_SHA2011; the World Bank's SH.XPD.GHED.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.EHEX.CH.ZS, SH.XPD.PVTD.CH.ZS, read 20 October 2026. Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Annual Health Bulletin 2024 (the publisher's list of reports), section 1.5.

The Central Bank's table of government health services: 415,233.7 million rupees in 2023 (374,328.6 million running costs, 40,905.1 million capital), 1.50% of gross domestic product. The Ministry of Health's yearly report for 2024, from the Ministry of Finance: 411,753 million rupees, 1.50% of gross domestic product. They differ by less than 1%, so the page gives what both show. Private health care is not in either.

In dollars at the 2023 average of 327.53 rupees to $1 (Central Bank; the World Bank 327.51), Dooram's conversion.

Sources: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Annual Economic Review 2025, with its statistical appendix, 2026, statistical appendix, tables 44 and 104, read 20 October 2026. Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Annual Health Bulletin 2024 (the publisher's list of reports), annexure, tables 7.1 and 7.2. Central Bank of Sri Lanka, read again in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Average exchange rates, annual, US dollar (statistical appendix, table 97); Official exchange rate, PA.NUS.FCRF, read 20 October 2026.

The Ministry of Finance's key expenditure components for 2026: the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, 555,000 million rupees, 450,000 million running costs and 105,000 million capital. The Central Bank's table of voted expenditure for 2026 gives the same 450,000 and 105,000 million as the approved estimates.

This is the national ministry only; what the nine provincial councils spend on health is not in it. In dollars, about, at the 2025 average of 300.95 rupees to $1 (Central Bank; the World Bank 300.85).

Sources: Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Sri Lanka, Key Expenditure Components by Ministry, Budget Estimates 2026, Ministry of Health and Mass Media, read 20 October 2026. Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Annual Economic Review 2025, with its statistical appendix, 2026, statistical appendix, table 106, read 20 October 2026. Central Bank of Sri Lanka, read again in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Average exchange rates, annual, US dollar (statistical appendix, table 97); Official exchange rate, PA.NUS.FCRF, read 20 October 2026.

The Ministry of Health's performance report for 2024: running costs 330,544.7 million rupees and capital 33,979.2 million spent; medical supplies bought, 142,980.66 million (for the medical supplies division and hospitals, and through the state pharmaceutical corporations). Its yearly report for 2024 gives the same 330,544.68 million running costs, the same capital (38,158.17 million with 4,179.00 million of the provinces') and the same 142,980.66 million. "About 4 in 10" is Dooram's division of 142,981 by 364,524 million (39%).

These are the national ministry's figures; what the provincial councils spend on health is not in them. In dollars at the 2024 average of 302.12 rupees to $1 (Central Bank; the World Bank the same), Dooram's conversion.

Sources: Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Sri Lanka, Annual Performance Report 2024, sections 2.10 and 3.7, read 20 October 2026. Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Annual Health Bulletin 2024 (the publisher's list of reports), table 17.2 and annexure table 7.3. Central Bank of Sri Lanka, read again in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Average exchange rates, annual, US dollar (statistical appendix, table 97); Official exchange rate, PA.NUS.FCRF, read 20 October 2026.

Out-of-pocket spending by the World Health Organization's count: 54.81% of current health spending in 2023, $73.58 a person (about 24,100 rupees at 327.53, Dooram's conversion); 40.74% in 2021. Read in its Global Health Observatory and again in the World Bank's indicators, the same for every year shown. Neither says why the share rose.

What people pay for, such as private doctors and medicines from pharmacies: not on this page. The ministry's health accounts on its site are for 2017 and 2018, and the Institute for Health Policy's later ones could not be read.

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure Database, through its Global Health Observatory and the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Global Health Expenditure Database, Sri Lanka (GHED_CHEGDP_SHA2011, GHED_CHE_pc_US_SHA2011, GHED_GGHE-DCHE_SHA2011, GHED_PVT-DCHE_SHA2011, GHED_OOPSCHE_SHA2011, GHED_OOP_pc_US_SHA2011, GHED_EXTCHE_SHA2011) (the World Health Organization's health accounts for Sri Lanka, 2019 to 2023), GHED_OOPSCHE_SHA2011 and GHED_OOP_pc_US_SHA2011; SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS and SH.XPD.OOPC.PC.CD, read 20 October 2026. Central Bank of Sri Lanka, read again in the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Average exchange rates, annual, US dollar (statistical appendix, table 97); Official exchange rate, PA.NUS.FCRF, read 20 October 2026.

The Ministry of Health's performance report for 2024: capital, a final allocation of 64,551.4 million rupees and 33,979.2 million spent (52.64% in its own table). Medical supplies: 180,000 million allocated and 142,980.66 million spent (79.43%), the same in its yearly report for 2024, table 17.2. The shares are the ministry's.

The quotation is the Central Bank's (Annual Economic Review 2025, chapter 1), which also names regional differences in buildings and staff. The ministry's report says it held review meetings through 2024 to keep shortages of medicines and supplies down; how many medicines were short was not looked at yet.

Sources: Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Sri Lanka, Annual Performance Report 2024, sections 1, 2.10 and 3.7, read 20 October 2026. Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Annual Health Bulletin 2024 (the publisher's list of reports), table 17.2. Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Annual Economic Review 2025, with its statistical appendix, 2026, chapter 1, health, read 20 October 2026.