AUSTRALIA has committed an additional $23.5million to Fiji’s national HIV outbreak response.
The funding was announced yesterday by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong during the official opening of the National Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and HIV Office in Toorak alongside Health Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu.
Dr Lalabalavu said the new office would serve as the centre of Fiji’s national HIV response, overseeing the work of the three divisional SRH and HIV clinics and co-ordinating efforts to prevent new infections, expand treatment and strengthen data systems.
He said HIV prevalence now stood at 1.6 per cent among adults aged 15 to 49 and about 2 per cent among pregnant women.
“We will scale up combination prevention across Fiji, including PrEP, condoms and lubricants, HIV testing and PEP, harm reduction and sexual health services, designed and delivered with the communities most affected,” he said.
“The response would also focus on earlier diagnosis, immediate treatment, bringing services closer to communities and helping people remain in care to achieve sustained viral suppression.”
Dr Lalabalavu said health services would increasingly be delivered through divisional hubs, sub-divisional care teams, outreach programs, peer-led initiatives and by integrating HIV care into broader health services.
Ms Wong said the funding was in addition to a previously announced $A12million ($F18.7m) Australian commitment to Fiji’s HIV response.
“Australia shares Fiji’s concerns about the impact of HIV and remained committed to supporting the country’s response,” she said.
The National SRH and HIV office is located on Augustus St in Toorak and has relocated from the Ministry of Health headquarters at Denim House.
