National Emergency Declared in Fiji as 1 in 60 Diagnosed with HIV
National Emergency Declared in Fiji as 1 in 60 Diagnosed with HIV
Cara Lynn ShultzWed, September 16, 2026 at 7:23 PM UTC
27
The beach at Matangi Private Island Resort in FijiCredit: Greg Vaughn /VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty -
Fiji’s health minister declared a national HIV emergency due to a sharp rise in cases, especially among pregnant women
Unsafe drug use and needle sharing are major drivers of the epidemic, per the World Health Organization
The government plans to expand testing, treatment and prevention programs, including access to PrEP and needle exchanges
A state of emergency has been declared in Fiji amid an ongoing surge in HIV cases, largely fueled by a meth epidemic.
One in 60 adults in Fiji — and 1 out of every 50 pregnant women — are now estimated to be HIV positive, Minister for Health Atonio Lalabalavu said in a Tuesday, Sept. 15, address. Five years ago, the estimate was 1 in 167 people. The staggering rise in cases is why Lalabalavu said he’s “formally declaring a national HIV emergency in Fiji.”
“The findings also show the seriousness of the epidemic and the gaps we must close in prevention, treatment and continuing care. We have acted on that evidence. An outbreak-level response is no longer sufficient,” Lalabalavu said. “The Ministry of Health cannot meet this challenge alone. It requires coordinated action across government, alongside communities and our partners.”
A mobile HIV testing unit in Fiji in March 2026Credit: AFP via Getty
In February, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that nearly half of those who started treatment for HIV in 2024 were injecting drugs. “New evidence highlights unsafe injecting drug use is a major driver of transmission and exposes urgent gaps in access to prevention and stigma-free care,” WHO said.
That year, there were 1,583 new cases of HIV in a country with fewer than 1 million people. In the first six months of 2025, there were 1,226 new cases, per WHO.
A 2-month-old is the youngest identified patient, having been diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis, according to a Save the Children Fiji report cited by CNN.
“What concerns me most is the speed of the epidemic and the number of people who may be living with HIV without knowing it,” Renata Ram, Fiji adviser for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) told CNN, adding that just 39% of residents know whether they are HIV positive or not.
Advertisement
Ram said that globally, HIV diagnoses dropped by an estimated 42% between 2010 and 2025. Meanwhile, she told the outlet that “Fiji has experienced an extraordinary increase over essentially the same period.”
A busy street in Suva, FijiCredit: Pita Simpson/Getty
Take PEOPLE with you! Subscribe to PEOPLE magazine to get the latest details on celebrity news, exclusive royal updates, how-it-happened true crime stories and more — right to your mailbox.
In his address, Lalabalavu said the government will expand HIV treatment, testing and access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), which is a daily pill or twice-yearly injection proven to reduce HIV transmission by 99%.
Lalabalavu said they will also introduce a “formal” needle and syringe program.
He urged all Fijians to work together to stop the spread of the disease and to respect the privacy of anyone who has been diagnosed. “Support family members and friends who seek care,” he said. “Stigma drives people away from the very services that can help them.”
“Anyone who has been diagnosed with HIV, a diagnosis does not take away your future. Effective treatment can help you live a long and healthy life,” he said. “Together we can reduce new infections, save lives, and protect the next generations. Let us do that work together.”
on People
Source: “AOL Breaking”
