Perception of basic package of health services’ impact on health service delivery and mortality among residents of Wulu County, South Sudan

A populations’ perception of health service delivery is critical to the understanding of the relationship between quality of care and utilization of health services and has been increasingly treated as an outcome of health care delivery. This study aimed to assess the perceived impact of a basic package of health services on health service delivery and mortality in Wulu County, South Sudan. A cross-sectional survey of 396 eligible adults aged 18 years and above who had benefitted from the services of health facilities within communities of Wulu County and equally resided in the community during the years 2014 to 2016 was conducted. A structured questionnaire was used to determine respondents’ perceived mortality and health service delivery ratings. Most respondents expressed moderate overall perceptions of health service delivery (62.4%) and mortality (84.1%) during 2014–2016. In 2016 significantly lower (p < 0.05) mortality perception scores and significantly higher perceived scores of health service delivery were recorded than in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, however, significantly lower mortality perception scores were recorded than in 2014. Respondents from the most urban area, Wulu Payam, expressed significantly higher health service satisfaction scores than those from other payams. The perception of a basic package of health services provided by health care agencies in South Sudan as expressed by the residents of Wulu County was satisfactory and considered to have achieved a significant reduction in the population’s mortality rate. However, the rural payams appeared to be lagging behind.