Fiji has formally declared HIV a national emergency, with recent statistics showing that an estimate of one in every 60 adults are living with the virus.
The Fijian government said in a statement on Facebook that an estimate of 2,016 people were diagnosed with HIV in 2025, indicating that the number of cases has risen by 27 per cent in one year.
The post also stated that in 2025, fifty-nine babies were born with HIV and 18 of them had died before their first birthday.
Percent composition of newly diagnosed HIV cases by Division |
||
|---|---|---|
|
DIVISION |
NUMBER OF CASES | PECENTAGE |
|
Central Division |
1359 |
67.4% |
|
Western Division |
556 |
27.6% |
|
Northern Division |
84 |
4.2% |
|
Eastern Division |
17 |
0.8% |
SOURCE: FIJI HIV SURVEILLANCE REPORT (2025)
Authorities say that expanding HIV testing could help health services reach out to more people across Fiji and identify cases that may have gone previously undiagnosed before, allowing individuals to access treatment and care earlier.
In 2024, Fiji endorsed its HIV Surge Strategy 2024-2027 and subsequently launched a national HIV Outbreak Response Plan, with UNAIDS, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners supporting implementation.
SOURCE: FIJI DIVISIONS AND PROVINCES (MAP)
The emergency declaration is expected to strengthen these efforts, as UNAIDS estimates that there were around 9,100 people living with HIV in Fiji in 2025 – 12 times more than the number recorded in 2010. There was also an estimate of only 39 per cent of people living with HIV that knew their status and 22 per cent were accessing treatment.
WHO has welcomed new measures announced by the Fijian Government to expand the access to free HIV testing and prevention services. These include pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – prevention medicine for people at substantial risk of getting HIV, harm reduction measures for people who inject drugs, and free treatment for people diagnosed with HIV.
Dr Mark Jacobs, who is a WHO Representative to the South Pacific and Director of Pacific Support said that there were reasons to remain hopeful despite the concerning situation.
“Although the HIV situation in Fiji is very concerning, there are grounds for hope. Global examples show that with significant and sustained action it is possible to bring this emergency under control, and modern treatments mean people living with HIV can live normal healthy lives and not pass the infection on,”
Dr Jacobs said that continued action would be needed to address the outbreak, including testing, early diagnosis, access to treatment and appropriate care, needle syringe programs, empowered communities, and addressing stigma and discrimination.
“WHO will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, along with other partners, as we have done from the very beginning.”
The Chair of Fiji’s National HIV Outbreak Response, Jason Mitchell told the ABC that the access to sterile needles and syringes was also an important part of reducing the risk of HIV transmission among people who inject drugs.
Mr Mitchell mentioned that there has been a scarcity of needles in Fiji because of law enforcement operations. Saying that while those operations were appropriate, it has made it more difficult for people to access sterile injecting equipment.
“We need to make needles and syringes widely available to the public, where anyone who is actually injecting has access to sterile needles and syringes so they can avoid sharing,” Mr Mitchell said.
Mr Mitchell predicted it would take “upwards of five years” to bring the epidemic under control, due to the complexities of engaging with communities affected by HIV.
“With the country rising together, we will get on top of this; it will just take time.”
As Fiji’s HIV response continues to expand, health authorities say that staying informed about HIV testing, prevention and treatment remains important. For more information and confidential peer support in Australia, the National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) provides resources and connects people with HIV peer-support services across the country.
HIV PEER SUPPORT SERVICES
POSITIVE LIFE NSW (Peer Navigator Support)
Phone: (02) 8357 8386 | Email: contact@positivelife.org.au
BOBBY GOLDSMITH FOUNDATION (Community Support Service)
Phone: (02) 9283 8666 | Email: bgf@bgf.org.au
ACON (Workshops and Service)
Email: astart@acon.org.au
