Meth is a key driver in Fiji's fast-growing HIV epidemic: 1 in 60 adults are affected

Best known as a tropical paradise and honeymoon destination, the island nation of Fiji now has the unfortunate distinction of facing two intertwined epidemics: HIV and addiction to crystal meth.

With HIV cases rising by 12-fold between 2010 and 2025, in mid-September, Fiji's government declared a national emergency. Estimates are that there are upward of 9,000 cases; the country's health minister has announced that 1 in 60 adults are now living with HIV.

At the July AIDS 2026 conference in Rio, Jason Mitchell, a public health specialist leading Fiji's HIV response, described it as the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the world, noting that two-thirds of cases are in those ages 20-34. "Our young, active, productive population is currently being infected with HIV, and unless we find solutions quickly, this will continue to get worse," he says.