Introduction
Is achievement of Sustainable DevelopmentGoal (SDG) 16 (building peaceful societies) a precondition for achieving SDG 3 (health and well-being in allsocieties, including conflict-affected countries)? Do healthsystem investments in conflict-affected countries wasteresources or benefit the public’s health? To answer these questions, we examine the maternal, newborn, child and reproductive health (MNCRH) service provision during protracted conflicts and economic shocks in the Republic of South Sudan between 2011 (at independence) and 2015.
Methods
We conducted two national cross-sectional probability surveys in 10 states (2011) and nine states (2015). Trained state-level health workers collected data from households randomly selected using probability proportional to size sampling of villages in each county. County data were weighted by their population sizes to measure state and national MNCRH services coverage.
Conclusion
Health system strengthening is not a uniform process and not necessarily deterred by conflict. Despite the conflict, health system investments were not wasted; health service coverage increased.