Swiss spend more on health than most

Switzerland ranks third in health spending in industrialised countries, according a study produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The Paris-based OECD said health spending in the country represented 10.8 per cent of gross domestic product.

But it pointed out that this was below what was spent in the United States (16 per cent) and France (11 per cent).

Switzerland also ranks higher than the OECD average when it comes to annual health spending per person, which totalled $4,417 (SFr4,760) in 2007.

This is the highest apart from in the US ($7,290) and Norway ($4,763). The OECD average is $2,964.

Switzerland also has a high density of people working in the health sector, with 3.9 doctors and 14.9 nurses per 1,000 residents.

The study notes that the Swiss have a life expectancy of almost three years more than the OECD average – 81.7 years compared with the 79 years of people in other OECD member states.

swissinfo.ch with agencies