Fiji cumulatively has recorded a total of 1260 confirmed HIV cases so far.
This was revealed by Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Iferemi Waqainabete while speaking at the Fiji Family Training of Trainers Workshop and recognition of World AIDS Day in Suva today.
He said people should recognise and acknowledge that HIV was a behavioural disease, but preventable as treatment was available for all Fijians free of charge.
“I take this time to acknowledge the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for the support provided through the Transformative Agenda 2018-2022 committing $30million to the Pacific in aspiring to improve the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Pacific Islanders including Fiji,” Dr Waqainabete said.
“UNFPA has been playing an instrumental part by supplying free contraceptive to Fiji for centuries and the ministry is very thankful for this support.”
Meanwhile, UNAIDS Goodwill ambassador for HIV in the Pacific and Speaker of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau noted that while Fiji contributed 80 per cent of domestic funding towards HIV programming, there was a need to ensure this was sufficient to implement effective services.
“Investments in the AIDS response in the past few decades have helped to strengthen health systems and have been supporting the COVID-19 response,” Ratu Epeli said.
The theme for this World AIDS Day is ‘Global solidarity, shared responsibility’.
