Fiji declares national HIV emergency amid sharp rise in infections
Over 9,000 Fijians living with HIV
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
The rapid surge in HIV infections in Fiji has prompted the South Pacific government to declare a national emergency, requiring accelerated actions and a comprehensive strategy to curb the lingering outbreak.
While HIV has existed in Fiji for more than three decades, expanded testing revealed that the crisis was worse than the government had thought.
The health ministry estimates that one in every 60 adults in Fiji is living with HIV. The agency recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, reflecting a 12-fold increase since 2010.
The United Nations Program on HIV and AID said an estimated 9,100 Fijians were living with HIV in 2025, yet only 39 percent knew their condition and just 22 percent were accessing antiretroviral treatment.
The emergency declaration "recognizes the seriousness of the epidemic and the urgent coordinated response our country now needs," Fiji's health minister Antonio Lalabalavu said.
"Our responsibility is to confront it openly and ensure the response keeps with pace and with evidence," he added.
Noting that the current response level "is no longer sufficient," Lalabalavu said addressing the crisis requires coordinated action across government, alongside community organizations and international partners, including UNAIDS and the World Health Organization.
The Fiji government plans to further expand testing, offer free treatments and broaden access to pre-exposure prophylaxis.
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"Every diagnosis must lead to care. Every person starting treatment needs support to remain on it. Prevention must reach the people and communities who need it most," Lalabalavu said.
"It also means accelerating the introduction of a formal needle and syringe program," he added.
Among cases with a known mode of transmission, over half were linked to sexual transmission and more than 42 percent to injecting drug use.
The needle and syringe program is aimed at controling the spread of the virus.
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The World Health Organization welcomed Fiji's emergency declaration, saying it provides an opportunity for the government to enhance the national HIV Outbreak Response Plan built on the global HIV Surge Strategy 2024–2027.
"Although the HIV situation in Fiji is very concerning, there are grounds for hope," said Dr Mark Jacobs, WHO representative to the South Pacific and director of Pacific Support in Suva.
"Staying informed and addressing misinformation is key because fear, uncertainty and rumors can increase stigma and discourage people from taking preventive action or accessing the care, support and treatment they need in a timely manner," he added.
During a recent regional dialogue on HIV hosted by the Cook Islands, Pacific island leaders agreed on taking preemptive measures and "tailored actions" to prevent an outbreak and subsequent public health costs in their respective countries.
Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, said Fiji's HIV crisis is "a stark reminder to the world that AIDS is not over. HIV epidemics can change quickly, and countries need health and community systems that are ready to respond urgently.”
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