The last thing Fiji needs is a vigilante-style response to a public health issue, said Dr. Jason Mitchell, Chair of the National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response.
He made the comments yesterday while speaking at the launch of the new HIV/Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Unit.
The unit is being set up to address the alarming rise in new HIV cases across Fiji.
Dr Mitchell said Fiji has transitioned from a very low prevalence pandemic to a concentrated one, now heading toward a stage that threatens to become a general epidemic.
He emphasized that since Fiji has not yet reached this critical stage, it is essential to ramp up the response.
Dr. Mitchell highlighted the high number of untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) contributing to rising cases of tuberculosis.
“This means that everyone in the country has a responsibility to be concerned about HIV, tuberculosis, and STIs,” he stated.
“This requires us to adopt a very human approach.”
“We want to address this with kindness and care, as these individuals are our fellow citizens affected by HIV.”
