South Africa is experiencing a nationwide shortage of certain antiretrovirals. According to The Stop Stockouts Project (SSP), the crisis has been developing over the past two months, South Africa has the biggest HIV programme in the world at 4.2 million people. The country hopes to initiate an additional 2 million people on treatment in the next 24 months. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to the Deputy Director General responsible for procurement of medicine in the public health sector Dr Anban Pillay.