Eight children died from HIV alone last year, according to advocate Temo Sasau.
Mr Sasau said they were part of the 126 deaths from HIV last year.
“This is according to data provided by the Health Ministry,” he said.
While raising awareness of the illness at Nakama Village, he said a four-month-old was the youngest victim.
“The baby died in Labasa because the mother failed to get treatment, even though she knew of her HIV positive status,” Mr Sasau said.
He said this should not be happening when help was available.
“Mothers, if you are pregnant, get tested.
“If you test positive, there is medical treatment that can protect your baby from HIV. Babies do not need to die.”
Mr Sasau said this was a true reflection of the surge in HIV cases in Fiji.
“In 2024, the country recorded its highest annual number with 1583 new cases, compared with just 415 the year before, a 281 per cent jump.”
He said even more concerning was the fact that 41 children were diagnosed with HIV last year, 32 of them through mother-to-child transmission.
“This is a huge increase from just 11 child cases in 2023,” Mr Sasau said, adding that more awareness and support are needed so mothers could feel safe about getting tested early.
