Ireland has come 13th in a global healthcare system ranking, which assessed quality and access to healthcare in 195 countries. 

Ireland was behind other European countries such as Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Iceland and Spain. Andorra topped the list overall. 

The report was published in the medical journal The Lancet, and saw Ireland get a total score of 88.4 out of 100. 

The country who came in last was the Central African Republic, which scored a total of 29 out of 100. 

Healthcare Access and Quality Index

To draw up the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index, experts analysed data on death rates for 32 diseases that can be avoided or treated with proper medical care from the last 25 years.

Some of the diseases monitored included: tuberculosis and other respiratory infections; illnesses that can be prevented with vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus and measles); several forms of treatable cancer and heart disease. 

Elsewhere in the report, the UK came in 30th place with a score of 84.6 out of 100, while the US placed low in 35th, with a score of 81.3 out of 100. 

Between 1990 and 2015, the countries that made the biggest improvements included South Korea, Turkey, Peru, China and the Maldives. 

New #GBDstudy ranks health care access and quality for 195 countries, according to 32 diseases - paper at: https://t.co/4dOhP9EMKZ @IHME_UW https://t.co/IKRrB8Wxas

— The Lancet (@TheLancet) May 19, 2017