Investing in national surveys for monitoring and evaluation: USAID and Tanzania in the 1990s

Abstract

National surveys are an important source of data in the assessment of the impact of national programs on population and health outcomes. Large-scale national household surveys, such as a Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), can provide accurate information on levels and, if repeated
over time, trends in fertility, child mortality, modern contraceptive use, and key child health interventions. Facility surveys can also provide similarly reliable information on the levels and, over time, trends in the provision of essential family planning and health services.

The USAID Mission in Tanzania invested heavily in national- level monitoring and evaluation (M&E) through surveys, and was the primary donor agency for four household surveys and four facility surveys in the 1990s, all covering nationally representative samples. What were the benefits of investing in these surveys? Were lessons learned that influenced program implementation? Have the surveys yielded
valuable data for national-level monitoring and evaluation?