Associations of medical doctors, pharmacists, male and female nurses, dental surgeons, midwives and male midwives, which are governed by specific laws enacted in 2012. These laws mandate the different practitioners to comply with the principles of morality, probity and confidentiality. Thus, for example, the activities of the doctor must be regulated by a professional code of conduct, the interest of the patient and public health. 184. In the area of research, the patient is considered as a participant in the research process. Consequently, he is informed about the objective and purpose of the research. Furthermore, he is free to give his consent or not. An ethics committee has been established to ensure compliance with the key rules and principles in the area of research. Any research project which does not meet these requirements cannot be carried out. f) Recognition, development, efficiency, modernisation and integration of traditional medicine into the public healthcare system 185. The practice of traditional medicine is recognised by Article 143 of the public health code in Burkina Faso. This provision is strengthened by Decree No. 2004567/PRES/PM/MSMCPEA/MECV/MESSRS of 14 December 2004 on the adoption of the national policy on medicine and traditional medicine. The Ministry of Health has for the past ten years intensified its support for traditional medicine and national pharmacopoeia. About 30 000 stakeholders carry out the practice as self-employed persons. The achievements are the adoption of the national policy and texts regulating the practice of the profession, the establishment of a framework for collaboration, supervision of traditional health practitioners and traditional drug marketing approvals. 186. On 4 October 2011, during the celebration of the 9th African Traditional Medicine Day, 32 traditional health practitioners received their approved licences to practice the profession. In October, 2012, the first week of traditional knowledge was organised. Additionally, traditional medicine was incorporated in the 2001-2010 and 2011-2020 National Health Development Plans. g) Measures taken to guarantee sexual and reproductive health, in particular, to reduce maternal mortality rate and stillbirths rate including infant and child mortality 187. The level of infant-child mortality is worrisome in Burkina Faso. This situation is attributable to infectious and parasitic diseases and the spread of HIV which has become a major developmental issue. In order to strengthen the fight against this scourge, the government adopted a programme in 2011 covering the period 2011-2015 for the prevention of mother-tochild transmission of HIV. 188. The integrated management of childhood Infections (IMCI) is a strategy aimed at contributing to the reduction of mortality of children below 5 years. The key achievements in this area in the first half of 2012 are: support for the structures in the provision of care for malaria and diarrhoea in 9 districts in the North and Centre-North regions, the training of 28 IMCI officials and 65 in TETU (sorting, assessment and emergency treatment), the extension of the implementation of the IMCI with a proportion of 78% of the concerned health facilities, etc. For the vulnerable groups such as Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs), expectant mothers, persons living with HIV (PLWHA) and poor people, the State makes interventions in the area of mechanisms of free subsidy through the health facilities. Towards this end, an emergency 48