Fiji declares national emergency as HIV cases surge to 1 in 60 people

Fiji Health Minister Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu has declared a national health emergency as HIV cases surge, with an estimated one in 60 adults now living with the virus. Driven by a local methamphetamine crisis, unsafe needle sharing, and unprotected sex, Fiji recorded 2,016 new diagnoses in 2025. The epidemic has severely strained local health services and affected newborns, yet only 22% of infected Fijians access treatment due to deep social stigma. In response, the government is establishing a cabinet subcommittee and introducing a needle and syringe programme.

Fiji HIV national emergency

• ▪In Fiji, 59 babies were born with HIV in 2025, and 18 infants died from HIV-related complications before their first birthday.
• ▪Fiji Health Minister Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu formally declared a national health emergency on September 15, 2026, due to a surging HIV epidemic.
• ▪Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, representing a 27% increase in new diagnoses compared to the previous year.
• ▪Fiji reported 117 HIV-related deaths in 2025, a significant increase from the 25 HIV-related deaths recorded in the country in 2021.
• ▪The Fijian government estimates that one in 60 adults in Fiji is living with HIV, compared to an estimated one in 167 adults five years prior.

Methamphetamine injection drug use

• ▪Fiji's geographic location as a drug-trafficking transit hub has led to a local methamphetamine addiction crisis that is driving the spread of HIV.
• ▪Among HIV cases in Fiji with a known transmission route, over 42% are linked to intravenous drug use and sharing contaminated needles.
• ▪Intravenous drug users in Fiji practice 'bluetoothing' or 'hotspotting,' which involves injecting the blood of an already intoxicated person to share a high.

Sexual transmission low condom use

• ▪Fiji Health Minister Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu stated that one in 50 pregnant women in Fiji is infected with HIV.
• ▪Low condom use, multiple sexual partners, and cultural taboos surrounding premarital or casual sex in Fiji's religious society contribute to sexual transmission of HIV.
• ▪Among HIV cases in Fiji with a known transmission route, more than half are linked to sexual transmission.

HIV testing treatment gaps

• ▪Fiji's 22% antiretroviral treatment rate stands in stark contrast to the global average, where 78% of people living with HIV access treatment.
• ▪Of the estimated 9,100 Fijians living with HIV in 2025, only 39% knew their status and only 22% were receiving antiretroviral treatment.
• ▪Fiji Network Plus executive director Joeli Colati stated that fear of being recognized at clinics, social stigma, and poverty deter Fijians from seeking HIV treatment.
• ▪Fiji's national HIV response taskforce leader Jason Mitchell stated that the epidemic has strained local health services, with untreated patients occupying hospital beds.

Needle syringe programme expansion

• ▪Fiji plans to introduce a formal needle and syringe programme, requiring legislative amendments to be introduced in parliament to allow the rollout.
• ▪The Fijian government established a five-minister Cabinet subcommittee to coordinate the national response and remove barriers to HIV prevention and treatment.
• ▪The Fijian government is expanding access to free, voluntary, and confidential testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and harm-reduction services.