As expected, South Africa last Thursday began the rollout of its national antiretroviral drug distribution program at five hospitals in Gauteng province, SAPA/SABC News reports. The South African Cabinet in November 2003 approved a plan for the program, which aims to provide antiretroviral drugs to 1.2 million people - or about 25% of the country's HIV-positive population - by 2008. Gauteng is the first of the country's nine provinces to begin dispensing drugs under the government's program.