Fiji declares HIV outbreak national crisis

The South Pacific nation of Fiji has declared HIV a national crisis, with 2,016 new diagnoses recorded last year, up from 1,583 in 2024, local media reported on Tuesday.

Health Minister Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu told reporters that estimates suggest that about one in every 60 adults in Fiji is living with HIV, local media outlet Fijivillage News reported.

The government, he added, is set to introduce a formal needle and syringe program as part of its response to the growing epidemic, alongside expanded HIV testing and treatment, greater access to pre-exposure drugs like prophylaxis, or PrEP, and long-acting injectable prevention.

With an increasing number of cases, he further said that HIV prevalence among women attending antenatal care has reached around 2%.

The government will also work to resolve regulatory issues, train staff, secure supplies and strengthen engagement with communities, he added.

The Cabinet has formed a committee of five ministers to address issues that have slowed implementation, he added.