Hungary

The central European nation of Hungary has one of the two strongest economies of all transition countries, and the per capita income of $16,300 is one-half that of the Big Four nations. Hungary is considered the 62nd richest nation in the world. Growth continues to be strong (4.1 percent). Despite a number of economic gains, the government has been beset by unsustainable budgets, current account deficits, inflation (14 percent) and unemployment (7.2 percent). Labor participation is low at only 57 percent. Hungary has a poverty rate of 8.6 percent of the population. The Gini coefficient is 24.4, and the richest 10 percent of Hungarians hold 20.5 percent of resources as compared to 4.1 percent for the poorest 10 percent. The overall standard of living is relatively high, and the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Human Development Report ranks Hungary 35th in the world on overall quality-of-life issues.

The Health Insurance Fund (HIF) is responsible for providing healthcare in Hungary, and local governments receive grants from the central government to administer the health program. Governments negotiate contracts with various providers to provide coverage for most of the population. The National Public Health Program has been implemented to improve general health, and the government has established goals that include increasing life expectancy by three years and slashing rates of major illnesses and injuries. Targeted areas include reducing the smoking rate, preventing and treating alcohol and drug abuse, promoting better diet and lifestyles, expanding sex education programs, improving the environment, and preventing epidemics. Social security is funded by employee and employer contributions supplemented by the government. The program covers workers, the self-employed, apprentices, entertainers, attorneys, civil servants, ministers, and the unemployed. Other Hungarians can buy into the pension plan.

The government spends an average of six percent of the total budget on healthcare. In international dollars, $1,269 is allotted per capita, and the government earmarks 8.4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product [Page 869](GDP) for health. Government spending accounts for 72.4 percent of all government expenditures in Hungary, and 83.4 percent of that spending is directed toward social security programs. The private sector supplies 27.6 percent of all health funding, and 88.90 of private spending is generated by out-of-pocket expenses. There are 3.33 physicians, 8.85 nurses, 0.21 midwives, 0.54 dentists, and 0.52 pharmacists per 1,000 population in Hungary.

In Hungary, $1,269 in international dollars and 8.4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are allocated for healthcare.

The population of 9.981,334 Hungarians experiences a life expectancy of 72.77 years, with females outliving males an average of nine years. Literacy is widespread, and less than three percent of the population over the age of 15 are unable to read and write. All of the relevant population is enrolled in primary and secondary school. While all urban residents have sustained access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation, two percent of rural residents lack access to safe drinking water and 15 percent lack access to proper sanitation. Around 77 percent of Hungarian women use some method of birth control, and Hungarian women have the 14th lowest fertility rate in the world, giving birth at a rate of 1.32 children each. All births are attended by trained personnel, and the adjusted maternal mortality rate is 16 deaths per 100,000 live births.

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