WorldNBC NewsFiji declares an HIV emergency and expands testing as cases surge
Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency after data showed one in every 60 adults is infected, with cases rising 12-fold over the past 15 years.
Fiji has declared an HIV national emergency after data showed one in 60 people in the South Pacific island nation was estimated to be infected.
Fiji declared a national HIV emergency this month after the government decided an earlier outbreak designation was no longer a sufficient response to surging infections.
About 9,000 people in Fiji are living with HIV in 2025, but only 39 per cent know their status and just 22 per cent are receiving antiretroviral treatment, according to UNAIDS.
Analysts say the crisis has been driven partly by a surge in injected methamphetamine use, as drug traffickers increasingly use Pacific island nations as transit hubs.
Fiji is now offering free HIV testing and free treatment for those who test positive, and is providing clean needles for drug users as part of its emergency response.
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