The Lebanese Epidemiological Association (LEA) is a central stakeholder in promoting evidence-based, cost-effective and equitable Public Health policies for Lebanon.  LEA considers health as a multi-sectorial domain encompassing "physical, social and emotional well-being and not just the absence of disease or disability".

The Lebanese Epidemiological Association mission is to create a national network including all those engaged in epidemiology and related sciences, in all fields of activities.

1. To promote and facilitate sound and valuable Public Health research, and to organized fora for the exchange and dissemination of results
2. To engage at all levels with other stakeholders, in particular the Ministry of Public Health and UN agencies, in activities aiming at improving health in Lebanon.
3. To contribute to regional and international exchanges leading to better health for the populations of the Middle-East and North Africa and beyond
4. To provide expertise in the assessment of new academic and training programs serving epidemiology and Public Health
5. To provide expertise in the planning and evaluation of Public Health projects
6. To develop research activities serving epidemiology and Public Health

ART.1: Name

The Association shall be called Lebanese Epidemiological Association.

ART.2: Location

Lebanese Epidemiological Association .

1. O. box 1135837

Museum st.

Beirut – Lebanon

ART.3: Aims and objectives

To promote academic, scientific and field works in epidemiology and public health.

This aim is to be achieved through surveys, monographs, case studies, registers, seminars, publications and scientific meetings.

ART.4: Resources

-memberships.

-governmental aid.

-donations

ART.5: Chart

General Assembly

Administrative council

ART.6: Committees

Special committees and regional committees will be formed whenever necessary; their organization, aims, objectives and tasks will have to be defined in agreement with by-laws

ART.7: Membership

Open to all health related professionals with a degree or an experience in epidemiology, who subscribe to the objectives of the association. Members are elected regardless of race, religion, sex , political affiliation, and country of origin.

ART.8: Application

1-Ordinary members:

Any member of the Association may nominate a candidate for ordinary membership and shall be responsible for obtaining the endorsement of a second member. This nomination shall be reviewed by a membership committee appointed by the Council and consisting of at least three members including at least one member of the Council.

2-Honorary members:

Elected by the council for their great contributions to Epidemiology and or to the Association.

ART.9: General Assembly

Include all members who fulfilled their subscriptions.

Its role is defined in the by-laws

ART.10: Administrative council

Include ten members elected by a secrete vote from the general assembly, the required quorum for the election being the participation of more than half of the general assembly. Its mandate is for two years. Elections will be under the direction of a special committee of three members at least from the previous administrative council and if necessary the supervision of a representative of the ministry of interior.

ART. 11

Political and administrative department within the Associations Section of the Ministry of Interior will be informed of the date and place of these elections one month before.

ART.12

Officers of the council are elected by the Council.

ART.13

The founding committee act as the Council for three months after the official approval of the Association by the Ministry of Interior.

ART.14: Amendments to the Constitution

Notice of any proposal to amend or alter this constitution must be included in the announcement of a general or special business meeting.

Amendments can be submitted to the general assembly as a proposal from the administrative council or 20% of the General Assembly.

The quorum for amendments sessions is two-third of all active ordinary Members.

A simple majority of those will be required for the passing of an amendment.

ART.15

The Association can be dissolved upon the request or the decision of the General Assembly, with at least 75 % approvals among all members.

ART. 16

Whenever the Association is dissolved its funds will transferred to the Lebanese Order of Physicians which will use them for the same objectives.

ART.1: General Assembly

Includes all members who fulfilled their subscriptions.

ART2:

The General Assembly will hold a meeting at least every year. It holds extraordinary meetings upon the request of the Council or of 10% of all active members

ART.3: Prerogatives of the General Assembly

Election of the Council by a secret vote.

Discussion of the Council projects and evaluation of its reports.

Elaboration of proposals and amendments to the Council.

Discussion of the budget and chart account of the Association.

Amendments of the Constitution.

ART.4: The Administrative Council

Elected from the active ordinary members. It includes the President, the Vice-president, the Secretary, the Treasurer and six other members.

The quorum will be achieved with the presence of more than 50% of its members and decisions will be approved with more than 50% of the vote.

The council shall meet every two months.

It will set up an executive committee including the President, the Vice-president, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.

Casual vacancies of Office or Council Membership shall be filled from the active ordinary Membership at the discretion of council for the remainder of the term.

The Council has the ability to set specific committees ( by specialty, region ,specific tasks besides the nominations committee and the executive committee.

The Council has the ability to elect honorary members for their contributions to Epidemiology and or the Association.

ART.5: Elections

Officers and members shall be elected from active ordinary Member at a General Business Meeting . The term of Office shall extend for two years.

No member shall be elected to serve the Association as a Council Member for more than three full terms in succession. Nominations for Council membership are to be delivered to the Secretary, at least four weeks before the Special General Meeting called for the election.

If two members reach the same number of votes, will be elected the one whose membership is prior and if it is the same for both then the oldest.

The date and place of elections will be fixed by the Council two months prior to the end of its term.

ART.6:

The Council will announce, at the head office of the Association, one month before the date of elections, a list of all electing members that might be amended until one week before the date of elections.

ART.7:

Nominations will be made by a nominating committee appointed by the Council . The Nominating committee shall consist of three members one of whom shall be a current member of the council, and two who are not members of the Council.

The list of candidates should be announced at the head office of the Association one month before the date of elections and might be amended up to two weeks before that date.

ART.8:

Vacancies of three or more members of Council will be replaced through elections from the General Assembly, if more than 6 months remain of the Council term.

ART.9: Meetings

A national scientific meeting will be held once a year.

A general regular meeting of the association will be held once a year. A quorum for any business meeting of the association shall consist of 50% of all active ordinary members. Motion shall be passed by a simple majority ( more than 50%) of all such members present and voting.

Council will meet regularly at least every two months and upon request from the president. A quorum for any business meeting shall consist of 50% of all council members. Motion shall be passed by a simple majority (more than 50%) of all such members present. In case of equal votes the vote of the president will decide.

ART.10: Officers

These are the President, the Vice-President the Secretary and the Treasurer.

The President will run the Association council and General Assembly meetings and will supervise the different committees. He will sign all documents emanating from the Association. He might call on the Council and the General Assembly for extraordinary meetings according to by-laws.

The Vice-President replace the president whenever he is absent.

The Secretary will hold all documents and registries of the Association.

The Treasurer will be in charge of the Association accounts.

ART.11: Committees

Each committee will submit its proposals and opinion to the council , and will be responsible for the execution of that proposal after the approval of the Council.

Each committee will have a coordinator and a secretary.

Each committee is open to all members of the Association and every member is allowed to be part of more than one committee.

ART.12:

The annual membership dues for ordinary Members shall be determined by the Council.

ART.13:

Signatures of both the President or vice-president and the Treasurer are required for any account operations.

ART. 14:

The Association will hold a bank account in its name.

Ordinary Members whose dues payment is more than 2 years in arrears, and who have been so notified, shall be inactive and shall lose their privileges of membership unless due to exceptional circumstances Council decides to the contrary.

ART15:

Any member who will be accounted for faults regarding the Association will have to appear before a correction committee which will instruct a report to the Council. Decisions of the Council will be taken by two- third majority. The member is allowed to call for a General Assembly within two weeks from the date he is informed of the Council decision.

ART.16:

Will be considered as resigned any member who loses any requirement of membership or is absent for more than four consecutive meetings without an official argument or fails to pay its due subscriptions after one month of being noticed so.

ART.17:

Amendments can be submitted to the general assembly as a proposal from the administrative council or 20% of the general assembly.