Fiji Declares HIV a National Crisis After 27% Rise in Diagnoses

# What happened

Fiji declared HIV a national crisis after new diagnoses climbed 27% in 2025. The government reported 2,016 newly diagnosed cases that year and estimated one in 60 adults in the country is living with HIV.

# Why this matters now

The epidemic in Fiji had been concentrated mainly among people who inject drugs, but the pattern is shifting. Among cases with a known transmission route, more than half were linked to sexual transmission and over 42% to injecting drug use. That mix means public-health measures must cover both sexual-health services and harm-reduction for people who inject drugs.

# The human numbers

• 2,016 people diagnosed in 2025.
• Government estimate: one in 60 adults living with HIV in Fiji.
• UNAIDS estimate: about 9,100 people living with HIV in Fiji last year.
• Only 39% of those estimated to be living with HIV knew their status, and 22% were receiving antiretroviral treatment according to UNAIDS.

# What the government is doing

Officials said expanded testing in recent months helped uncover infections and enabled earlier treatment. Planned actions listed by the government and welcomed by UNAIDS include:

• Widen access to free, voluntary and confidential HIV testing nationwide.
• Expand access to prevention medicines, including wider availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
• Roll out harm-reduction services for people who inject drugs, including a needle-and-syringe programme.
• Improve treatment access for people diagnosed with HIV.
• Create a five-minister Cabinet subcommittee tasked with removing barriers to action.
• Enforcement of laws against discrimination toward people living with HIV and statements that services are available across the country.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said, "Fiji has recognized the urgency of the moment and is stepping up its response," and warned the situation is a reminder that AIDS remains a global concern.

# Context and comparison

Fiji, a Pacific island nation of roughly 900,000 people, is experiencing one of the world's sharper rises in new infections. The government's one-in-60 adults estimate remains lower than HIV prevalence in parts of Africa, where prevalence can be nearer to one in 35 adults, according to WHO figures cited in the report.

# What to watch next

• Implementation and geographic reach of the planned needle-and-syringe programme.
• How quickly free testing and PrEP access are scaled up and whether uptake increases among high-risk groups and the wider population.
• Changes in the percentage of people who know their status and those on antiretroviral therapy, as these will indicate whether the response is reaching the people who need it.

# Bottom line

Fiji's declaration responds to a measurable surge in diagnoses and to shifting transmission patterns. Authorities propose a mix of testing expansion, prevention medicines, harm reduction and a cross-ministerial effort aimed at reducing barriers and expanding care.