Fiji Declares HIV a National Crisis
Officials said 2,016 people were diagnosed in 2025 as the government expands free testing, prevention medicine and harm-reduction services.
- On Tuesday, Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu declared a national HIV emergency in Fiji, citing the 'seriousness of the epidemic' after new diagnoses climbed 27% last year.
- Rising intravenous drug use, exacerbated by Fiji's role as a transit hub for illicit smuggling routes, has driven the surge; injecting drugs account for over 42% of cases.
- One in 60 Fijian adults now lives with HIV, while the epidemic has reached newborns; last year, 59 babies acquired the virus from their mothers, with 18 dying before their first birthday.
- The government pledged a 'whole-of-government response' including a cabinet-led needle and syringe programme to reduce transmission risks, with Lalabalavu announcing rapid expansion of testing and prevention services.
- UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima called the surge 'one of the sharpest increases in new HIV infections globally,' describing it as a 'stark reminder to the world that AIDS is not over.
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123 Articles
Fiji declares national crisis over rising HIV cases
Fiji has declared a national crisis over a recent rise in HIV cases, adopting plans to allocate more health resources toward stopping the disease’s transmission.Antonio Lalabalavu, Fiji’s minister for health and medical services, declared HIV a national emergency on Tuesday. The nation previously declared an HIV outbreak in January 2025.In 2025, Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses, including 59 babies born with HIV, its government announced in…
Fiji declares national HIV emergency and extends testing programme as cases surge
TOKYO (AP) — Fiji has declared an HIV national emergency after data showed one in 60 people in the South Pacific island nation is now estimated to have the virus. The country says it is boosting testing and treatment efforts to fight a surge in new infections, which have increased 12-fold over the last 15 years, according to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV and Aids (UNAIDS).
Fiji declares HIV a national crisis as diagnoses surge | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
WELLINGTON >> Fiji has declared HIV a national crisis after new diagnoses climbed 27% last year, intensifying concern that an epidemic once concentrated among people who inject drugs is spreading more widely through the Pacific island nation.
Fiji has declared a national emergency over HIV after a sharp increase in cases. In 2025, 2,016 new cases were registered, about 16 times more than in 2019. More than half of the cases are linked to sexual transmission, while over 42% are linked to injecting drug use. The situation has also affected babies, as 59 children were born with HIV in 2025. The government is expanding free testing, treatment, prevention and harm reduction programs from …
Fiji declares national HIV emergency and extends testing program as ca
TOKYO (AP) — Fiji has declared an HIV national emergency after data showed one in 60 people in the South Pacific island nation is now estimated to have the bloodborne virus. The country says it is boosting
Fiji declares national HIV emergency and extends testing program as cases surge – WTOP News
TOKYO (AP) — Fiji has declared an HIV national emergency after data showed one in 60 people in the South Pacific island nation is now estimated to have the bloodborne virus. The country says it is boosting testing and treatment efforts to fight a surge in new infections, which have increased 12-fold over the last...
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