AIDS drug roll-out within weeks

Provinces in South Africa could start rolling out HIV/AIDS drugs by as early as November, the adviser for the country's AIDS task team has said. A task team was appointed in August to develop a detailed HIV/AIDS treatment plan, just weeks after the ministry of health was given a September deadline for its completion by the cabinet. Task team adviser, Ira Magaziner, said the cabinet had signalled that it would act swiftly on the rollout plan, which could be ready in time to meet the deadline. Magaziner was quoted by local newspaper the Sunday Times as saying: "We think the programme could begin almost immediately after that. We are taking [health] centres identified by the provinces and getting them ready." The task team's report is expected to map out operational plans for a 20 percent, 80 percent or 100 percent rollout of drugs over the next five to 10 years.