UNAIDS has welcomed Fiji’s declaration of HIV as a national crisis, saying the move provides an opportunity to accelerate prevention, testing and treatment efforts.
The United Nations agency said it would support the Government as it introduces new measures to strengthen the national HIV response, including increased community engagement and the introduction of a needle and syringe programme.
The urgency is highlighted by UNAIDS estimates that new HIV infections in Fiji increased 12-fold between 2010 and 2025.
In 2025, an estimated 9,100 people were living with HIV in Fiji, but only 39 per cent knew their status and 22 per cent were accessing treatment, according to UNAIDS.
“Fiji has recognised the urgency of the moment and is stepping up its response,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima.
“It is also a stark reminder to the world that AIDS is not over. HIV epidemics can change quickly, and countries need health and community systems that are ready to respond urgently.”
UNAIDS said communities were already playing a central role in connecting people with prevention, testing, treatment and care, while also countering misinformation and stigma.
UNAIDS Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Eamonn Murphy, said the declaration should be viewed as a call for action rather than fear.
“Fiji still has an opportunity to change the course of this epidemic,” he said.
Murphy said stronger cooperation across the Pacific and sustained international solidarity could reinforce Fiji’s national effort and accelerate action.
UNAIDS said it would continue working with Fiji, communities and partners across the Pacific to strengthen national responses and regional cooperation.
