2015 REVISED CONSTITUTION OF THE PAN-AFRICAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOLOGY (PASCAR)

SECTION 1: NAME

PAN-AFRICAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOLOGY (PASCAR)

SECTION 2: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To promote the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
To promote the education and training of medical and paramedical personnel in cardiology.*
To educate the general public on cardiovascular health problems.
To form the PASCAR Foundation to encourage, fund and coordinate continental research activities as well as advance all the objectives of PASCAR listed in 1) to 3) above.

These objectives shall be achieved through:

Congressional business meetings.
Organization of international, regional or continental seminars, symposia, workshops or congresses on cardiovascular themes.
The dissemination of up-to-date knowledge on cardiovascular diseases through the publication of news-letters and/or scientific journals.
Establishment and administration of research fund.
Contact and collaboration with other organizations with similar interests.

*Cardiology in the context of this constitution means, and shall be interpreted to mean cardiology, cardiac pathology, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiovascular surgery and other related disciplines.

SECTION 3: MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Society shall consist of:

Organized National or Regional Societies of Cardiology in African countries.
Individuals who are engaged in cardiology who reside in an African country.
Associate Members: These shall be individual citizens of non-African countries who have contributed significantly to the science and art of cardiology in Africa and have been judged worthy of membership by the Governing Council of PASCAR.
Formal application received for membership will be adjudicated by the Governing Council and approved for ratification at the following Congressional business meeting.

SECTION 4: COMPOSITION OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL

The Governing Council of PASCAR, hereafter referred to as COUNCIL, shall comprise the following elected officials: (except the editor of CVJA who shall be appointed by the editorial board of the journal and ratified by the Governing Council):

President – to be elected on a rotational basis from the the five (5) regions mentioned in ii) below.
Four (4) Vice Presidents representing North, South, East, West and Central Africa but excluding the region of the President. This means that no Vice President shall be elected from the region of the President.
Secretary General.
Five (5) Assistant Secretary Generals – one from each of the above mentioned regions.
Treasurer.
Editor of PASCAR Journal.
Immediate Past President.

NOTES: COUNCIL SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO CO-OPT CHAIRMEN AND/OR SECRETARIES OF PASCAR SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEES AS AND WHEN THE NEED ARISES.

SECTION 5: DUTIES OF COUNCIL AND COUNCIL MEMBERS

Council shall be responsible for the business of PASCAR and shall appoint such scientific committees as it deems fit for purposes of meeting the objectives of the society.
It shall meet once a year or more often if necessary for the effective running of the society.
One third of Council Members from at least two (2) regions shall form a quorum at Council Meetings.
The President shall authorize the Secretary General to summon meetings of Council or Congress and shall preside at all such meetings.
Vice President shall act for the president in his absence.
The Secretary General shall on the authority of the President or in his absence, a Vice President summon meetings of Council and or Congress. He shall prepare the agenda for, keep and circulate minutes of all such meetings. Furthermore, the Secretary General shall take charge of the PASCAR Secretariat and supervise the implementation of decisions of Council and Congress.
Assistant Secretary-Generals shall assist the Secretary General in the discharge of his/her duties in their regions and shall act for him/her at Council or Congress meetings where he/she is absent.
The Treasurer shall collect all monies due to PASCAR, pay authorized bills and prepare audited accounts to Council and Congress. For purpose of operating PASCAR accounts, the Treasurer and either the President or the Secretary General shall be lawful signatories to the financial activities of the society.
An Editor shall be in charge of the Society’s publications except the Secretariat Newsletter. He/she shall be Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Society’s Journal.

SECTION 6: TENURE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS

Each member of Council except the editor shall relinquish his post at the end of a four year term, and shall not be eligible for re-election into that post until he has been out of office for four years.

This provision is without prejudice to the president who shall be an ‘ex officio’ member of the succeeding Council.

The tenure of office of the Editor shall be determined by Congress acting on the advice of the Council.

SECTION 7: PASCAR SECRETARIAT

The Secretariat of PASCAR shall be located in the centre where the Secretary General resides or, in his absence, in the centre of an assistant Secretary General acting for him.

SECTION 8: MEETINGS

A Pan-African Congress shall be held every two years at a venue recommended by Council and approved at a preceding congress.

A Congressional Business Meeting shall be held during each congress for purposes of conducting the business of the Society.

SECTION 9: LANGUAGES

The official languages of the Society shall be English and French.

SECTION 10: FINANCE

The Society’s revenue shall be generated through:

Annual dues paid by member societies or individuals.
All societies shall pay a flat fee for a minimum of 50 members or less. Additional fee shall be paid for additional members above the minimum of 50. Such flat rate and the additional fees shall be determined by the Council from time to time.
Donations and endowments.
Other sources that Council may deem fit.

SECTION 11: VOTING AT CONGRESS

National Societies in good financial standing and which have 50 members or less shall be entitled to TWO (2) block votes.
Every additional 50 members will provide an additional block vote of ONE (1). Member Societies shall be required to submit proof of claims (to be defined by Council).
Individuals from a country with no registered Cardiac Society shall be entitled to ONE (1) block vote.
Voting at congress shall be by secret ballot except when Council directs otherwise.

SECTION 12: AFFILIATIONS

PASCAR shall seek affiliations with the following organizations:

World Health Organization (WHO)
World Heart Federation (WHF)
African Union (AU)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Council may from time to time recommend additional affiliations that are deemed to be in the overall interest of PASCAR.

SECTION 13: CEREMONIALS/IDENTIFICATION MARKS

These shall consist of:

An official seal or crest (logo)
Ties and scarves
A President’s chain
A Mace.

SECTION 14: PUBLICITY AND PUBLICATIONS

Publicity shall be by website posting.
The official scientific publication of PASCAR is the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa and the existing subscription rates determined by prevailing commercial factors shall apply.

SECTION 15: SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEES

The Governing Council shall be able to create new task forces from time to time and close the ones that have served their purpose. Task Force Groups will be responsible for developing and defining political and scientific (or research) policy for the society in specific areas. They must prepare reports to be presented at each congress and communicate their activities to all members as often as possible.

SECTION 16: AMENDMENT AND CHANGE OF RULES

Any amendment or change in this constitution shall be by three quarter majority of constituted member societies.
Notice of any proposals to amend or change the existing rules must be sent to the Secretary General not later than three (3) months before a Congressional Business Meeting and must appear on the agenda of the said meeting in the form of a motion.

Constitution of the Pan-African Society of Cardiology