Ireland spends proportionately less on health than any other western European country, according to new figures from the World Health Organisation. Paul Cullenreports.
WHO's latest statistical yearbook shows that in spite of increased spending on our health services in recent years, the proportion of national wealth devoted to the sector remains significantly lower than in neighbouring countries.
Ireland spends 7.2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on health compared to a European average of 8.6 per cent and a global average of 8.7 per cent.
France, considered by many to have the best health system in Europe, spends 10.5 per cent of GDP, while Germany spends 10.6 per cent and the Netherlands 9.2 per cent.
The figures are for 2004, arguably before the full impact of recent increases in funding was felt in Irish health services.
Expressed as a proportion of Government expenditure, Ireland fares somewhat better in the rankings. The figures show 16.8 per cent of the Government budget goes on health, which is above the European average.
Ireland also has fewer hospital beds than the European average.
There are 57 beds per 10,000 Irish people, compared to a European average of 64. However, Ireland ranks well ahead of the UK (39 beds per 10,000) and the US (33 beds). France and Germany have 75 and 84 beds respectively per 10,000 population.
We also have fewer doctors than all other western European countries apart from the UK.
There are 2.79 doctors per 1,000 population in Ireland, compared to 3.37 in France and Germany and 2.3 in the UK. However, the number of nurses and midwives here is well above average for western Europe.
The life expectancy of Irish males is 77 years and for females it is 81 years. A measure of the number of years of healthy life people can expect at birth puts Irish males at 68 years and women at 72 years. Some 14 per cent of Irish men are obese, as are 12 per cent of Irish women.
The figures also record Irish consumption of alcohol, at 13.7 litres per person per year, as the third highest in the world, behind Luxembourg and Uganda.
While smoking rates among Irish males, at almost 24 per cent, are below average globally, the proportion of Irish women who smoke, at 24.3 per cent, is one of the highest in western Europe.