Fiji declares national HIV emergency as cases surge

Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency after authorities said new diagnoses rose to 2,016 cases in 2025, 16 times the level recorded in 2019.

Health Minister Atonio Lalabalavu told reporters on September 16 that the declaration recognised the seriousness of the epidemic and the need for an urgent, coordinated response.

The government estimated that one in 60 adults in Fiji have HIV, compared with one in 167 five years earlier. It also said two in every 100 pregnant women carry the virus. Of 59 babies born with HIV in 2025, 18 died before their first birthday.

Fiji said it was expanding access to free HIV testing, prevention services and treatment. The measures include rapid testing, prevention medicine for people at higher risk, harm-reduction measures for people who inject drugs, and free treatment for people diagnosed with HIV.

UNAIDS said that among HIV cases with a known mode of transmission, more than half were linked to sexual transmission and more than 42 percent to injecting drug use. The UN agency welcomed Fiji's plans to introduce legislation for a needle and syringe programme.

Fiji said it was receiving external support from Australia, New Zealand, India, the Global Fund and the United Nations.