Fiji declares HIV a national crisis as diagnoses surge

WELLINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Fiji has ‌declared HIV ​a national ​crisis after new diagnoses climbed 27% last year, intensifying concern that an epidemic once concentrated among people who inject drugs is ‌spreading more widely through the Pacific island nation.

The government said ⁠in a statement posted on Facebook that 2,016 people were diagnosed with HIV in 2025 ‌and estimated that one in ‌60 adults was living with the disease.

Fifty-nine babies were born with HIV last year and 18 died before their first birthday, it also said.

Authorities ​said expanded testing had helped uncover infections, enabling earlier treatment. Fiji now plans to widen access to free, voluntary and confidential testing, prevention medicines, ⁠as well as harm-reduction services for injecting drug users and treatment.

Fiji, a country of around 900,000 people, ​is experiencing one of the world's sharpest rises in new infections, according to UNAIDS. It estimates that 9,100 Fijians were ​living with HIV last year and that ‌only 39% knew their status and that 22% were receiving antiretroviral treatment.

"Fiji has recognized the urgency of the moment and ⁠is stepping up its response," UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said. "It is also a stark reminder to the world that AIDS is not over."

Among cases with a known ⁠transmission route, more than half were linked to sexual transmission and over 42% to ​injecting drug use, UNAIDS said. The agency welcomed government plans for a needle-and-syringe programme and expanded access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), medicine used to lower the risk of contracting HIV.

The ‌government has set up a five-minister Cabinet subcommittee to remove barriers to action. It said discrimination against people living with ‌HIV is illegal and services are available nationwide.

Fiji's estimate of one in 60 ⁠adults living with HIV remains ‌below parts of Africa, where ​nearly 1 in 35 adults are living with HIV, according to the World Health Organization.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by ‌Edwina Gibbs)

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