The New Zealand government has committed $NZ4million ($F5.2m) to support Fiji’s response to its HIV outbreak.
At the launch of the Power To Life (HIV) booklet in Suva on Tuesday, New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Charlotte Darlow praised the Coalition Government’s efforts in addressing the HIV issue in the country.
“This funding at Fiji’s request and at the HIV Unit’s request, will be targeted towards supporting efforts to reduce transmission, to improve access to testing and treatment and to reducing stigma and discrimination through a wider education campaign,” Ms Darlow said.
She said they had also reprioritised $NZ1million through their sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health multi country work with UNFPA.
“I want to thank UNFPA for the work that they do in this space to support the elements of the HIV response that are delivered by the Family Health Unit.
“We’ve also supported HIV testing equipment to three medical laboratories.
“As well as that, we’ve recognised that peer support between clinicians and policy makers is a really important part of the process, too.
“So sometimes we do what’s called in kind support.”
She said New Zealand’s Ministry of Health was also facing similar challenges and was providing peer support to their colleagues working in Fiji.
“I would really encourage other donors and other partners to listen to the very clear set of needs and support that Fiji has asked for in this space.
“This is the first time that I can remember a health issue like this really being discussed so openly in a regional context, with Fiji very openly saying, we don’t understand the scale of the problem yet, but we know that as we do more testing, we know that as more people are diagnosed, the numbers will go up and it will look alarming, even more alarming than it does.”
Ms Darlow said we also needed to empower and support people who were living with HIV.
“Fiji government has been exceptionally open about all of its requests and its needs for support.
“In that space, New Zealand has been very pleased to be a partner on this small step of the journey.
“We absolutely want to use this platform to encourage other donors and other partners to also step forward and support Fiji in its response.”