By the end of June 2005, all 60 facilities in Malawi selected for ART in the public sector had received their drugs, and the majority (54 facilities) had started to place patients on free treatment. Facility-based ART personnel were working hard and were adhering to guidelines. In the second quarter of 2005, there were 5696 new patients started on ARV therapy. Up until the end of June 2005, there were 22,973 patients who had ever started on ARV therapy. For the quarter and for the cumulative analysis, 40% of patients were male and 60% were female, and approximately 95% were adults (13 years and above) and 5% were children. Of patients who ever started on ARV therapy, 79% were alive and on ART at the site of registration, 8% had died, 7% were lost to follow-up, 5 % had transferred out to another facility (and were presumably alive) and 1% had stopped treatment. Of those alive and on ARV therapy:- 99% were ambulatory; 94% were fit to work; 10% had one or more major side effects; and 95% based on pill counts showed 95% or more adherence to therapy. A 6-month survival analysis from 18 sites starting patients on free ART in October-December 2004 found 84% alive (77% alive and on ART + 7% transferred out). A 12-month survival analysis from 6 sites starting patients on free ART in April - June 2004 found 80% alive (78% alive and on ART + 2% transferred out).