WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The small Pacific island nation of Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency as the number of cases continues to rise, which has been linked partly to growing methamphetamine use and intravenous drug use.
About one in every 60 adults in Fiji is now estimated to be living with HIV, according to health officials. This goes against the global trend of declining HIV rates. HIV is currently incurable but can be managed with treatment.
Fiji first declared an HIV outbreak in January 2025 and increased testing to better understand the situation. The expanded testing revealed the growing scale of the public health crisis.
The UN estimates that about 9,100 people were living with HIV in Fiji in 2025. However, only 39% knew they had HIV, while just 22% were receiving antiretroviral treatment.
On Tuesday, Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu declared a national emergency. He said Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, describing the numbers as a sign of the seriousness of the outbreak and the need for an urgent and coordinated response.
Five years ago, about one in 167 Fijians was estimated to be living with HIV. In recent years, however, Fiji has become an important transit point for illegal drugs being moved from the Americas to Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia.
Drug use, along with sexual transmission linked to low condom use and the stigma surrounding HIV, has made the outbreak harder to control.
National health statistics show that 117 people died from HIV-related causes in Fiji in 2025, up from 25 deaths in 2021.
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