Fiji declares an HIV emergency and expands testing as cases surge
Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency due to a surge in new infections, with an estimated 1 in 60 people now infected and cases increasing 12-fold in 15 years. The government is expanding free testing and treatment, and providing clean needles, while also addressing the stigma surrounding the illness.
Why it matters
This declaration highlights a severe public health crisis in Fiji, underscoring the urgent need for increased awareness, testing, and treatment to combat the rapid spread of HIV in a small island nation.
<p>Fiji has declared an HIV national emergency after data showed 1 in 60 people in the South Pacific island nation was estimated to be infected.</p> <p>The government 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 ). However, agencies now had to work together on the crisis, officials said this week.</p> <p>The latest figures showed about 9000 people were living with HIV in 2025 in a country which has fewer than a million people, according to the UN agency. It said only 39% of patients knew their HIV status and just 22% were receiving antiretroviral treatment.</p> <p>Fiji officials said 1 in every 60 adults in the country has HIV, compared to 1 in 167 five years ago.
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