| SN | VARIABLE NAME | VARIABLE DEFINITION |
| 1 | QITs functionality | This is the dependent variable of the study. It considers the presence of the QI team, conduct of QI meetings (quarterly) and self-internal assessment and documented QI activities. All these criteria were to be met for a QITs to be considered functional. |
| 2 | Facility autonomy
| This considers competent handling of funds, deposit of self-generated funds, funds receipt (other charges, health sector basket fund, etc.) and appropriate expenditure on health commodities. All these criteria were to be met for a facility to be considered autonomous. |
| 3 | HFMTs functionality | This considers presence of availability of HFMTs, appointed HFMTs members with well-defined terms of references and monthly management meetings conducted with recorded minutes. All these criteria were to be met for a HFMTs to be considered functional. |
| 4 | Working conditions | This considers availability of suitable houses for at least three (3) key staff. A house must be habitable (sound structure, intact roof and ceiling, no cracked walls, protected from pests, windows screened and well ventilated) with availability of safe water and power supply, availability of suitable on call amenities (suitable room for on call staff furnished with at least a bed and chair) as well as extra duty and on call allowances budgeted in the current financial year. All these criteria were to be met for a facility to be considered as having favorable working conditions. |
| 5 | Client satisfaction | During SRA, a structured exit interview was conducted to three clients selected from various service points within a health facility. The 10-point exit interview was used to score client satisfaction. For a client to be considered as satisfied, was supposed to have a score of 8 or more. Hence, for the purpose of this study, for a health facility to be considered as having satisfied clients, all three clients must have a score of 8 or more. |
| 6 | Facility characteristics | These include facility level (Dispensary, Health Center, District Hospital/Hospital at district level), facility ownership (Private vs Public) and facility location (Urban vs Rural). |
| 7 | Human Resources for Health (HRH) availability | HRH considers provisions from Staffing levels document (2014-2019) for Departments of the Ministry, Health Service Facilities, Health Training Institutions and Agencies ( |