SEX stigma may be obscuring how HIV is spread in Fiji, as some people may be more willing to report injecting drug use than sexual contact.
Rainbow Pride Foundation acting chief executive Asaeli Sinusetaki said the stigma could affect information collected from people living with HIV and, consequently, how authorities understand the country’s growing HIV problem.
“There’s more stigma to sex than to drugs,” Mr Sinusetaki said.
He said people could face uncomfortable questions when reporting sexual contact as the likely source of their infection, including questions about their partners.
“How did you get it? Sex. Well, with who?”
Mr Sinusetaki said information gathered through the Moonlight Clinic’s outreach and testing activities indicated that unsafe sex was occurring at significant levels.
However, he said, stronger evidence was needed to establish the main drivers of HIV transmission rather than relying solely on information provided by individuals.
An Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS) study is being rolled out to provide that evidence.
The study combines HIV testing and other biological data with information about people’s behaviour and potential risk factors.
Mr Sinusetaki said the approach would help health authorities examine not only the number of people infected but also the behaviours and circumstances associated with HIV transmission.
He said the surveillance would begin in Lautoka before expanding to Suva and other parts of Fiji.
The aim is to identify the major factors contributing to the spread of HIV and strengthen the evidence base for prevention and response measures.
