National Policies and Guidelines on HIV/AIDS

The HIV/AIDS epidemic carries cultural, social, economic and political implications. Similarly the nature of the epidemic and therefore the response raise pertinent ethical, legal, human rights and administrative issues that demand for guidance in service delivery to ensure standards, equity, accountability and protection of human rights. The country has therefore developed tools, standards and guidelines to support implementation of the national program.

The first National policy guidelines were developed in 1993 and later revised in 1996 through processes spearheaded by UAC. A review of the 1996 policy guidelines ( .pdf) was completed in 2003 and the outcomes informed the process for the development of the National AIDS Policy in 2004/05. The final draft of the NAP was submitted to Cabinet for approval in October 2005. The NAP highlights various legal measures that will necessitate the development of an HIV/AIDS bill, a process that will be embarked on as soon as the NAP is approved by Cabinet.

Line ministries are also charged with the responsibility of developing sector specific policies and guidelines. Several of these have been developed:

• VCT ( Policy .pdf
  
• VCT Implementation guidelines .pdf)
  
•   PMTCT policy
  
•   ART
  
• Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

• Young People: Vulnerability and HIV/AIDS in Uganda Participatory Analysis and
  Development of a ConceptualFramework
  
• HIV/AIDS in the world of work
•   Septrin prophylaxis
  
•   Education sector HIV/AIDS policy
  
• Fisheries AIDS policy