The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) was set up by an Act of Parliament (Cap 208) in 1992.The Commission, which is under the President’s Office, is mandated to coordinate and oversee the prevention and control of HIV and AIDS activities in Uganda. UAC is composed of both the Commission (Board) and Secretariat (Management).
In 2015, the Uganda AIDS Commission developed a strategic plan (2015/16 – 2019/20) to achieve its vision, mission, goals, and objectives.
The goal of the Uganda AIDS Commission for this strategic planning period is effective coordination and management of the national response towards ending AIDS in Uganda.
The vision of the Commission is to create a population free of HIV and its effects, while its mission is to provide effective leadership to the HIV and AIDS multi-sectoral response.
UAC’s Strategic Objectives
- To realise the goal of the Strategic Plan, the Commission identified 4 areas for strategic interventions, namely:
- To strengthen governance and management systems
- Resource Mobilisation
- To enhance advocacy and communication for the national HIV response
- To strengthen strategic information for evidence-based decision-
UAC’s Core Values
In the delivery of its services, the Commission has the customer at the center, and its customer value proposition is underpinned in a set of cherished values, which include, Stakeholder responsiveness: The Commission undertakes to respond to stakeholder needs in real time and to proactively predict stakeholders’ expectations and devise measures to meet them.
Partnership: Collaboration and partnership are core to the Commission’s service delivery mechanisms. Building and strengthening partnerships is not only a core value but also a mechanism to deliver services.
Integrity: The Uganda AIDS Commission strives to promote openness, trust, transparency, accountability, and respect.
Teamwork: Teamwork and teambuilding are central to the Commission’s core values.
Professionalism: In whatever the Commission does, it strives for adherence to ethical codes of conduct, exercising fairness and impartiality, and delivery of quality service.
Mandate
The mandate of UAC is to provide oversight and coordination of all HIV/AIDS related activities in the country. The Commission does not engage in direct implementations of interventions but takes strategic leadership in effective harmonization of action by the various players within agreed policy and program parameters.
The Commission’s coordination role translates into the following key
Function areas
- Defining overarching HIV/AIDS policy and facilitating formulation of thematic national policies and guidelines.
- Leading HIV/AIDS national strategic planning, monitoring, and evaluation
- Spearheading advocacy for attention to HIV/AIDS issues.
- Mobilising and ensuring equitable allocation and effective utilisation of resources
- Fostering functional linkages among partners in the country and with the outside
- Gathering, packaging, and disseminating strategic HIV/AIDS information and leveraging knowledge.
- Promoting and supporting HIV/AIDS-related research.
Directorates and management
The Uganda AIDS Commission comprises five directorates. These include the Directorate of Human Resources and Administration, the Directorate of Planning and Strategic Information, the Directorate of Policy Research and Planning, the Directorate of Finance and Accounting, and the Directorate of Partnerships.
The present UAC Board Members include:
- Canon Dr. Ruth Senyonyi: Board Chair
- Dr. Nelson Musoba: Director General UAC and Secretary to the Board
- Dr. Ahmed Ddungu Board Member
- Dr. Stephen Watiti Board Member
- Deborah Kyazike Kinobe Board Member
- Namara Judith Board Member
- Akiror Mary Grace Board Member
The Uganda AIDS Commission management team includes:
- Dr. Nelson Musoba Director General
- Dr. Vincent Bagambe, Director, Planning and Strategic Information
- Mr. Quinto Rwotoyera, Director Finance & Accounts
- Dr. Zepher Karyabakabo; Director Policy, Research & Programming