BRIC’s Growing Share of Global Health Spending and Their Diverging Pathways

Frontiers in Public Health

Mihajlo B. Jakovljevic¹ 

关键词: BRICS;    health expenditures;    long term;    global health;    trends;    health care reform;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2015.00135

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Global health expenditure database (GHED) relying on national health accounts (NHA) system to track financial flows within national health systems of all World Health Organization (WHO) members across the globe was established since 1995 with latest official release of 2012 data (12). This is probably the most comprehensive single source allowing for international comparability of data. Observing these 18 years we might come to terms with many fine hidden patterns of health spending transformation that occurred worldwide and among the BRIC themselves. Global share of BRIC nations in total health expenditure (THE) grew from 4% ($108,938) to 12% ($858,193) in nominal terms ($USD) while change from 9% ($220,650) to 16% ($1,289,861) was even more profound in PPP terms. Joint health expenditure by BRIC nations succeeded to raise sixfold in less than two decades. Calculations of global health spending refer to 193 countries or political entities for whom complete records are available within GHED registry. Most surprising evidence comes from internal THE relationships among Brazil, India, Russian Federation, and China (Figure ​(Figure1).1). Back in 1995, THE composition of BRICs in nominal terms was dominated by Brazil (31%) followed by China (29%) and approximately equal shares of Russia and India of 20%. Recent 2012 data point out to entirely different nominal THE landscape heavily dominated by China with 52%, followed by Brazil (17%), Russia (16%), and India (15%) all three very close to each other. THE expressed in $PPP reveals quite different picture. In 1995, Brazil held even 47% of joint spending while it was followed by China (24%), Russia (15%), and India (14%). If we observe percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) spent on health by individual countries it is easy to notice that only India remained at 4% level. Each of other three countries gained momentum of higher GDP proportion dedicated to health care today compared to situation 20 years ago. Such capital investment was led by Brazil (2.7% increase) followed by China (1.9) and Russia (0.9).

【 授权许可】

CC BY