Romania went down five places in the global Bloomberg Healthcare Efficiency Index, which measures the efficiency of the national health system by the expenditure-to-earnings ratio, local Profit.ro reported.

The ranking is based on public data from 2015 and analyzes 56 economies with a minimum population of 5 million, average lifespans of at least 70 years, and a gross domestic product per capita of over USD 5,000. The efficiency of national healthcare systems is measured based on three indicators, namely life expectancy, relative costs (percentage of GDP allocated to the system) and absolute spending (nominal cost per capita, expressed in dollars).

Romania lost five places in this ranking, being at number 36 this year. The country got an efficiency score of 46, on par with Peru but slightly lower than Slovakia (47.6) and UK (46.3). Romania's health spending amounts to 5% of GDP, or USD 442 per capita - the lowest amount in Europe and among the lowest in the world.

Life expectancy for Romania's inhabitants is estimated at 75 years, compared to 81 years in the UK and 76.6 years in Slovakia.

Romania ranks better than countries such as Belgium (38th), Denmark (41st), Hungary (42nd), Germany (45th), or the U.S. (54th). Neighboring Bulgaria ranks last, with a score of 29.4.

On the other hand, Hong Kong tops the list with a score of 87.3, followed by Singapore and Spain. These economies spend more than USD 2,200 per capita on health, with average lifespans of over 82 years.

The top five is completed by Italy and South Korea. At the opposite end, the last five places are occupied by Serbia, Russia, Azerbaijan, U.S., and Bulgaria.

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Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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