Fiji’s HIV Emergency: Why a Rapid Rise Demands Immediate Public‑Health Action

New data show that one in every 60 Fijians lives with HIV and that the number of new cases rose by 27 percent over the past year. In 2025, 2,016 people were diagnosed, a 27 percent increase from the previous year.

In response, the government announced a national HIV emergency. It plans to broaden free, voluntary and confidential testing, increase the supply of preventive medicines such as PrEP, and expand harm‑reduction services for people who inject drugs.

Only 39 percent of people with HIV in Fiji know their status, and just 22 percent are receiving antiretroviral treatment, according to UNAIDS. Among cases where the transmission route is known, more than half involve sexual contact, while over 42 percent are linked to injecting drug use.

Jason Mitchell, Chair of Fiji's National HIV Outbreak Response, told ABC's The World that recent law‑enforcement operations have created a shortage of clean needles, hampering harm‑reduction programmes. He urged wider availability of sterile needles and syringes.

UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima said Fiji’s swift declaration shows “real bravery and real leadership” and that expanding testing, treatment and needle programmes is crucial to curb what is one of the world’s sharpest rises in new infections.

The emergency highlights how quickly an unchecked HIV surge can strain a health system. By scaling up testing, treatment and harm‑reduction, Fiji aims to lower transmission, improve care for those already infected, and prevent the epidemic from spiralling further.

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