Audit of AID"s assistance to family planning in Senegal

Program results audit covers the period 1979-6/87 and is based on site visits, document review, and interviews with USAID/S staff and Government of Senegal (GOS) officials. Although the first project did not fully achieve its objectives and the follow-on experienced setbacks during its first 2 years due to procurement delays and problems with TA, most activities are now moving forward. Progress is reflected in increased (1) use of contraceptives, (2) detection of sexually transmitted diseases, (3) number of project clinics, (4) integration of FP information into the curriculum of the National Midwives Training School, and (5) collection of demographic data. In addition, GOS policy makers were able to visit other countries to observe successful FP programs. The audit revealed, however, that the information needed to determine the effectiveness of the project"s FP activities and identify constraints was not being collected, due in part to the project designers" failure to specify the kinds of information needed to verify project success. Another problem involved the lack of sufficient controls over distribution of AID-funded medications and contraceptives; in many cases inventory records were not accurate, available stock and inventory records were not periodically compared, staff duties were not adequately separated, and clinic personnel did not regularly report their activities. Recommendations are made to (1) identify information needed to evaluate project effectiveness and assess constraints to project implementation, and (2) improve controls over project commodities, by ensuring that all transactions are entered in stock record cards, adequate physical inventories are conducted and staff duties are separated, and requiring that all clinics regularly report on activities and commodities. Mission comments, which agree with the recommendations, are appended.