Uganda AIDS Commission Act

Jurisdiction: Uganda
Citation: Chapter 208
Date: 31 December 2000
Language: English
Type: Legislation
Download: Download PDF (183.3 KB)

Uganda

Uganda AIDS Commission Act

Chapter 208

Published
Commenced on 13 March 1992
[This is the version of this document at 31 December 2000.]
[Note: The version of the Act as at 31 December 2000 was revised and consolidated by the Law Reform Commission of Uganda. All subsequent amendments have been researched and applied by Laws.Africa for ULII.]

An Act to provide for the establishment of the Uganda AIDS Commission for the prevention and control of the AIDS epidemic, to provide for the commission’s constitution and management, to define its functions and powers and to provide for other connected matters.

1. Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

(a)"AIDS" means the acquired immune deficiency syndrome;

(b)"commission" means the Uganda AIDS Commission established under section 2;

(c)"donor support group" includes any bilateral or international agency supporting the national AIDS control programmes in Uganda.

2. Establishment of the commission

(1)There is established a commission to be known as the Uganda AIDS Commission.

(2)The commission shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal, and in its own name capable of—

(a)acquiring and holding property;

(b)suing and being sued; and

(c)doing all acts and things as bodies corporate may lawfully do.

3. Composition of the commission

The commission shall consist of the following members—

(a)the chairperson, who shall be appointed by the President;

(b)the Minister responsible for health, who shall be the vice chairperson;

(c)not more than twenty-one other members appointed by the President;

(d)the director general of the Uganda AIDS Commission secretariat,

who shall be the secretary to the commission, and who shall be appointed by the President on such terms and conditions as the President may determine.

4. The secretariat

(1)The commission shall be serviced by a secretariat consisting of—

(a)the director general who shall be the chief executive and accounting officer of the commission;

(b)such other technical staff as may be appointed by the commission; and

(c)such support staff as may be appointed by the director general and approved by the commission.

(2)The staff of the secretariat shall hold office on such terms and conditions as the commission may determine.

(3)The functions of the secretariat shall be—

(a)to ensure implementation of the decisions and programmes of the commission;

(b)to advise the Government on all matters relating to the commission's objectives under this Act; and

(c)to perform such other functions as the commission may direct.

(4)The chairperson of the commission shall be responsible for the supervision of the director general and the secretariat.

5. Functions and powers of the commission

(1)The functions of the commission shall be to oversee, plan and coordinate AIDS prevention and control activities throughout Uganda and, in particular, to—

(a)formulate policy and establish programme priorities for the control of the AIDS epidemic and management of its consequences throughout the country;

(b)ensure proper planning and coordination of all AIDS control policies and programmes within the overall programme strategy;

(c)identify obstacles to the implementation of AIDS control policies and programmes and ensure the implementation and attainment of programme activities and targets;

(d)mobilise, expedite and monitor resources for the AIDS control programmes and activities;

(e)disseminate information on the AIDS epidemic and its consequences in Uganda and on the programme activities for its control;

(f)supervise all activities relating to the control of the AIDS epidemic in Uganda and, in particular, regarding—

(i)health care and counselling of AIDS patients;

(ii)the welfare of bereaved orphans and survivors of AIDS victims;

(iii)the provision of medical supplies and equipment;

(iv)the handling of socioeconomic, cultural and legal issues related to the AIDS epidemic; and

(v)biomedical research and surveillance into the AIDS epidemic and methods of its prevention and control;

(g)find a drug for the cure of the AIDS disease; and

(h)perform such other functions relating to the prevention or control of the AIDS epidemic in Uganda as the commission may deem necessary.

(2)The commission shall in the performance of its functions under this Act—

(a)be responsible to the President;

(b)from time to time submit progress reports on its activities to the President and any other person or body which the commission may deem necessary; and

(c)be advised by a committee of technical experts selected by the AIDS control implementors in the various sectors of the national AIDS control programme.

(3)The common seal of the commission shall be authenticated by the signature of the chairperson and the secretary or the secretary and two directors.

(4)A decision or directive of the commission shall be authenticated under the chairperson's hand.

6. Procedure of the commission

(1)Subject to this section, the commission may regulate its own procedure.

(2)The chairperson of the commission shall preside at all meetings, and in his or her absence the vice chairperson shall preside; and in the absence of both of them, the members present shall elect one of themselves to preside.

(3)The quorum of the commission shall be one-third of the members, and every question shall be decided by a majority of the members present and voting.

(4)The commission may co-opt a person to attend any of its meetings in an advisory capacity, but that person shall not be entitled to vote.

7. Funds of the commission

(1)The funds of the commission shall consist of such sums as may be provided by—

(a)Parliament;

(b)donor support groups; or

(c)any other person.

(2)The expenditure of the commission shall be a charge on the Consolidated Fund.

(3)The commission shall be a self-accounting body and shall in its financial matters deal directly with the Ministry responsible for finance.

8. Accounts and audit

(1)The commission shall, through its secretariat, keep proper books of account in respect of its income and expenditure, in a form approved by the Auditor General.

(2)The books of account of the commission and other financial records shall be audited by the Auditor General or any other auditors appointed by the Auditor General within three months after the end of each financial year.

(3)The annual financial report of the Auditor General regarding the commission's accounts shall be laid before Parliament by the Minister responsible for finance.

(4)Donor support groups may appoint an independent auditor to audit the accounts of the commission.

9. Regulations

The chairperson, on the advice of the commission, may make regulations generally for better carrying out the functions of the commission under this Act.

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History of this document

31 December 2000 this version

Consolidation

13 March 1992

Commenced