Now that we have come to the crossroads, so to speak, in this war against HIV, the decision to engage traditional leaders is obviously in keeping with the campaign. It makes sense as the next course of action. It is the way to go.
We must be pushing this campaign through every available platform. That means engaging leaders.
Emphasis should be on disseminating as much information as possible about HIV to the masses.
That should go through every means available to us.
This is a war that we cannot afford to slacken on. It is a war that demands our effort and time.
We can’t be pussyfooting around this any longer.
If there are people out there who are still not committed or not scared, then something is drastically wrong somewhere.
We probably need our heads screwed in the right way!
How can we ever relax with the knowledge that one in 60 adults between the ages of 15 and 49 is living with HIV?
We must be honest with ourselves. These aren’t figures we can just shrug aside or bury our heads in the sand and hope they disappear!
This is a harsh reality of our nation. And add to that the fact that there are high school students who are living with HIV. Let that sink in!
So, in the face of that, it is good that the ministry is considering all avenues to get the message through to the masses.
This follows warnings that the current case numbers reflect only a fraction of the actual situation.
Speaking at the 2026 HIV Pacific Symposium at the Sheraton Fiji Golf Resort and Spa in Nadi, Health and Medical Services Minister Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu stressed that curbing transmission required a unified, nationwide effort.
His comments echoed an earlier address by President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, who highlighted the critical involvement of the vanua, the traditional indigenous socio-political structure, in tackling the health emergency.
Dr Ratu Atonio said the goal was to reduce transmission and bring the epidemics under control.
The traditional structures, he said, must be integrated into the national strategy.
He also said that, alongside the current taskforce and program, there was a place for the vanua at the table to discuss how best to move forward.
He warned that the reported figures were only the tip of the iceberg and said that as numbers increased, efforts in treatment, testing and awareness must also be scaled up.
That is what we must be focused on right now. A concerted effort to get awareness out there, and people engaged!
There is no room for complacency.
Leaders, communities and individuals, we all have a role to play in turning awareness into action and saving lives.
