Commitment to Equity Analysis · Bhutan

Fiscal Policy Reference Dashboard

CEQ 2017 → 2022 Update
🇧🇹 Bhutan
2017 – 2022
Health Expenditure
2017: Bhutan CEQ 2017 — Article 9, Section 21 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan; Ministry of Health; National Health Accounts Report, Bhutan, Fiscal Years 2014-15 & 2015-16.  |  2022: National Health Accounts data.

Health Spending — 2017

Health care in Bhutan is almost entirely funded and delivered by the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) health institutions. Large investments in health care helped greatly to improve access and utilization in the past. Private health care services are limited to a few pharmacies and selective diagnostic centers, mostly in urban areas. Bhutanese can access public health services free of charge with only a few exceptions.11 Some services not covered include private cabin facility at government hospitals, cosmetic dental care, and drugs outside the national essential drug list. Specialized health services which are not available in the country are referred to hospitals in India at the cost of the government. In FY2015-16, the total health expenditure incurred by the government was around 3 percent of GDP.12

Source: Bhutan CEQ 2017

Health Spending — 2022

Health Expenditure & GDP — Table 2 (FY2018/19 & FY2019/20)

IndicatorFY 2018/19FY 2019/20
GDP (Nu.)178,201,890,000192,309,624,722
CHE (Nu.)6,233,340,8737,656,293,990
CHE RGoB (Nu.)4,803,742,1286,136,965,439
CF — Capital Finance (Nu.)978,605,4951,048,422,566
Total (CHE + CF)7,211,946,3688,704,716,556
CHE as % of GDP3.5%4.0%
CHE RGoB as % of GDP2.7%3.2%
Total (CHE + CF) as % of GDP4.0%4.5%