Fiji has declared an HIV emergency following a rapid increase in infections, with 2,016 new cases and 59 infants infected in a single year.
On 18 September 2026, Fijian authorities declared a national emergency due to the HIV outbreak, with recent data estimating about 1 in 60 adults in the country are infected—a significant rise from 1 in 167 five years ago.
Antonio Lalabalavu, Fiji’s Minister of Health, said the emergency declaration reflects the severity of the situation and the urgent need for coordinated nationwide measures.
Official data shows that in 2025, Fiji had 2,016 newly diagnosed HIV cases, a 16-fold increase from 2019 and a 27% rise from the previous year. The United Nations estimates that around 9,100 people in Fiji live with HIV, but only 39% are aware of their status, and just 22% receive antiretroviral treatment. Additionally, about 1 in 50 pregnant women in Fiji are HIV positive. In 2025, 59 infants were born with HIV, and 18 died before reaching one year old.
The Fijian government plans to increase access to free, confidential voluntary HIV testing, expand availability of preventive and treatment medications, and implement harm reduction programs for injecting drug users, including distribution of clean needles and syringes.
Source: BBC