Overview

Key points

• Belarus’ health system is centralized, with the Ministry of Health setting priorities and policies that are implemented at the district, interdistrict, and regional levels.
  
• A broad range of services including dentistry is publicly funded, with care provided free at the point of use. Patients have to pay for outpatient medicines and dental prosthetics, unless they fall into a protected category.
  
• Three quarters of health spending was public in 2021 and spending levels were close to those of other upper middle-income countries (UMIC).
  
• More than one third of health spending was on inpatient care, but the Ministry is trying to strengthen primary care.
  
• It has decreased hospital numbers and increased outpatient clinics. Despite this progress, Belarus still makes heavy use of hospital services and has amongst the highest numbers of hospitals and hospital beds per person in the WHO European Region (2019).
  
• The rates of doctors and nurses are higher than in most of the Region, but the number of health workers graduating has decreased over time and staffing rural regions is difficult.
  
• Life expectancy increased by 5.6 years between 2000 and 2018, but there is a substantial gap between the sexes, with females living on average 10 years longer.
  
• Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) cause more than 80% of deaths in Belarus, with over half due to cardiovascular disease. Premature mortality from major NCDs is three times higher for men than for women.
  
• High blood pressure and dietary risks contribute to high mortality and there is scope to strengthen prevention and public health measures to reduce behavioural risk factors.
  
• Belarus has high levels of vaccination coverage and manages tuberculosis and HIV through vertical national programmes.