Audit of USAID/Zaire"s family planning services project, project no. 660-0094

The audit covers the period 1982-12/90. The project has achieved only limited success in providing FP services due to planning and monitoring deficiencies on the part of USAID/Z. The Mission did not properly plan for commodity needs or establish adequate records to ensure that commodities procured were received, inspected, stored, distributed, and properly utilized. As a result, 26% or $300,000 worth of contraceptives procured for public sector distribution had to be destroyed due to expiration. Moreover, the project risks losing another $440,000 in contraceptives if FP services remain at their current dismal level. Another example of poor planning is that the project holds five times more condoms and spermicide in stock in the central warehouse than have been distributed to clients during the entire life of the project. A.I.D.-financed commodities have been mismanaged in several instances. Many A.I.D.-financed vehicles are not in use due to a lack of drivers, and spare parts for bicycles and vehicles delivered in 1983 remain idle in the central warehouse. In addition, some vehicles are being used for personal use and some are assigned to people who have little to do with the project. At the same time, the social marketing program is in great need of vehicles to keep up with the growing demand for its services, Medical equipment for voluntary surgical procedures is not being used due to insufficient electric power at Kitembo Maternity Hospital. Management advisory services were ineffective in raising the level of FP services, due to inadequate monitoring of TA contractors and a lack of host country commitment to use technical services. USAID/Z also failed to monitor the GOZ"s budget contributions and grossly understated the GOZ"s authorized contribution, which would have resulted in a loss of $3.6 million in operating funds. USAID/Z did not properly plan and implement the project"s participant training program. The Mission failed to institute a systematic program to identify basic and recurrent training needs, prepare annual training plans, or develop selection criteria for trainee candidates.