Fiji Declares National HIV Crisis As New Infections Surge

Fiji has declared HIV a national health crisis after recording 2,016 new diagnoses in 2025, a sharp increase compared with previous years. UNAIDS estimates that about 9,100 people were living with HIV in Fiji in 2025, but only 39% knew their status and 22% were receiving treatment. The government is expanding free testing, prevention, treatment and harm-reduction services, while a special Cabinet committee has been established to coordinate the response. UNAIDS has welcomed the move, stressing that the declaration should encourage urgent action rather than fear or stigma.

FIJI DECLARES HIV A NATIONAL CRISIS

Fiji has declared HIV a national health crisis after a sharp increase in new infections raised concerns that the epidemic is spreading beyond groups previously considered most at risk.
The government announced the decision this week, promising a coordinated response involving multiple ministries and an expansion of HIV prevention, testing and treatment services.
The declaration comes after Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, according to government figures. UNAIDS says new HIV infections in the country increased 12-fold between 2010 and 2025, making Fiji one of the countries experiencing the sharpest increases in new infections.

ONE IN 60 ADULTS ESTIMATED TO BE LIVING WITH HIV

Fiji, a Pacific island nation with a population of just over 900,000, is facing a rapidly changing HIV situation.
UNAIDS estimates that about 9,100 people were living with HIV in Fiji in 2025. However, only 39% were estimated to know their HIV status, while just 22% were accessing antiretroviral treatment.
The figures highlight a major challenge for health authorities: many people living with HIV may not know that they have the virus and therefore may not be receiving treatment.
The government has also reported a significant rise in HIV prevalence among adults compared with previous years.

SEXUAL TRANSMISSION AND INJECTING DRUG USE

UNAIDS says the epidemic in Fiji is being driven by more than one form of transmission.
Among cases where the mode of transmission is known, more than half were linked to sexual transmission, while more than 42% were associated with injecting drug use.
UNAIDS has welcomed Fiji's plan to introduce a needle and syringe programme as part of a broader harm-reduction response.
Harm reduction refers to measures designed to reduce the health risks associated with drug use. In this case, providing sterile injecting equipment can reduce the risk of people sharing needles and transmitting HIV.

HIV CASES HAVE RISEN SHARPLY

The current increase did not happen suddenly.
UNAIDS reported in 2025 that the number of new HIV infections in Fiji had already risen dramatically over the previous decade. The organisation said there were fewer than 500 people living with HIV in 2014, compared with an estimated 5,900 in 2024.
Fiji declared an HIV outbreak in January 2025 and developed an HIV Outbreak Response Plan alongside measures targeting the connection between drug use and HIV transmission.
The latest national crisis declaration represents a further escalation of the government's response.

BABIES AND PREGNANT WOMEN ALSO AFFECTED

The increase in infections has raised concerns about transmission from mothers to their babies.
The Fijian government said HIV prevalence among pregnant women had also increased and reported that 59 babies were born with HIV in 2025, with 18 dying before their first birthday.
The figures have increased pressure on health authorities to expand testing and treatment for pregnant women and improve measures that can prevent transmission from mother to child.

GOVERNMENT EXPANDS TESTING AND TREATMENT

Fiji's government says it is expanding access to free HIV testing, prevention and treatment across the country.
The measures include rapid HIV testing, wider access to PrEP, medicines taken by people who are HIV-negative to reduce their risk of acquiring the virus, and treatment for people diagnosed with HIV.
The government also plans to strengthen harm-reduction services for people who inject drugs.
UNAIDS said Fiji is also planning to introduce longer-acting HIV prevention options, including prevention injections administered twice a year.

CABINET SUBCOMMITTEE CREATED

Health Minister Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu and four other Cabinet ministers have been brought together in a special subcommittee to help speed up the government's response.
The group is expected to address policy and implementation barriers that could delay the expansion of HIV services.
The government says the response will focus on saving lives, improving access to healthcare and reducing the stigma surrounding HIV.
International partners, including Australia, New Zealand, India, the Global Fund and the United Nations, are supporting Fiji's response.

UNAIDS SAYS THE CRISIS IS A CALL FOR ACTION

UNAIDS welcomed Fiji's decision, saying the declaration demonstrates that the country recognises the urgency of the situation.
UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said the development was also a reminder that HIV remains a global health challenge.
The organisation stressed that the declaration should not create fear or discrimination.
UNAIDS said HIV is not transmitted through ordinary everyday contact, and people receiving effective treatment who maintain an undetectable viral load do not sexually transmit HIV.
These facts are important because fear and stigma can discourage people from getting tested or seeking treatment.

DRUG TRAFFICKING ADDS TO THE CHALLENGE

Fiji's location in the Pacific has also brought new concerns about drug trafficking and drug use.
Pacific island nations have increasingly been used as transit points for drugs travelling between Latin America and Asia and major markets in Australia and New Zealand.
Health officials and researchers have linked the growth of injecting drug use in Fiji to part of the recent increase in HIV transmission.
UNAIDS has previously highlighted the need for harm-reduction services, including needle and syringe programmes, to address the connection between injecting drug use and HIV.

FIJI STILL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTROL THE EPIDEMIC

Despite the rapid increase in infections, health authorities say the situation can still be brought under control.
Modern HIV medicines allow people living with the virus to live longer and healthier lives when treatment is taken consistently.
Effective treatment also reduces the amount of virus in the body to very low levels, preventing sexual transmission when an undetectable viral load is maintained.
UNAIDS therefore says Fiji's crisis declaration should be viewed as a call for urgent action rather than a reason for panic.
The immediate challenge is to identify people who do not know their HIV status, connect those living with HIV to treatment and expand prevention services to communities at risk.

FIGHT AGAINST STIGMA REMAINS IMPORTANT

Health authorities also face the challenge of stigma surrounding HIV.
Fear of discrimination can prevent people from seeking testing or treatment, allowing infections to remain undiagnosed.
Fiji's government has therefore included reducing stigma and improving public awareness as part of its response.
With testing available free and confidentially, officials are encouraging people to know their HIV status and seek medical care where necessary.

A NATIONAL HEALTH TEST FOR FIJI

The declaration marks a significant escalation in Fiji's response to HIV after years of rapidly rising infections.
The government now faces the task of turning its emergency announcement into expanded services that reach people across the country.
With thousands estimated to be living with HIV and a large proportion unaware of their status or not receiving treatment, improving testing, prevention and access to medicines will be critical.
UNAIDS says Fiji still has an opportunity to change the course of the epidemic, but the sharp increase in infections shows why faster action is needed.