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The Committee notes the detailed information supplied in the Government's report.

Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes the information that a draft of basic principles for the development of the nursing profession has been drawn up with the participation of professional associations of nurses, to continue to improve the professional activity of nursing personnel and promote their participation in the implementation of state policy in this sphere. It also notes the information the Government provides on the elaboration, with the participation of the Trade Union of Public Health Workers, of the "Employment Aid Programme for Workers in the Field of Medicine and Pharmaceutics for 1998-2000", and the public health organizations' fee agreement to resolve the problems in nursing personnel's employment. It requests the Government to supply information on all progress achieved in this respect and also to transmit a copy of the text after its adoption, and to transmit information on the implementation of the programme mentioned above.

Article 5. The Committee notes from the Government's report that the participation of nursing personnel in decisions regarding the development of nursing services is ensured through professional associations of doctors' assistants, midwives and nurses. It also notes that the conditions of work and activities of medical workers, including nursing personnel, are governed by collective agreements. It requests the Government to provide copies of these collective agreements.

Article 7. The Committee notes with interest the adoption of the Federal Law "on the propagation in the Russian Federation of diseases caused by the AIDS virus (HIV infection)" by the State Douma (parliament) on 24 February 1995, which provides that the personnel responsible for diagnosing HIV infections and for treating seropositive persons, as well as the personnel working with equipment containing the AIDS virus, are entitled to wages increased by 20 per cent (of the standard fee), a reduction in working hours (36 hours in the week), paid leave of 36 working days, and the right to state compensation in the event of death resulting from diseases related to development of HIV infection. It also notes the adoption of Decree No. 1017 of 13 October 1995 issuing "rules of conduct for medical examinations to detect HIV infection", which ensures that such examinations are free and the results thereof confidential.

Part V of the report form. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply general information on the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice and also to transmit, if possible, data on the number of persons leaving the profession.