Fiji has declared HIV a national emergency after a sharp rise in infections placed additional pressure on the country’s health system.
About one in 60 adults in the Pacific island nation is now living with HIV, compared with one in 167 five years ago. Health Minister Antonio Lalabalavu said Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, warning that “an outbreak-level response is no longer sufficient”.
Health experts and non-governmental organisations have linked the surge to drug use, unsafe sex, needle sharing and a practice known as “bluetoothing” or “hotspotting”. The practice involves people who inject drugs using blood from an already intoxicated person to intensify the effects of drugs. Limited access to sterile syringes has contributed to its spread in Fiji, according to health workers.
The government plans to introduce a national syringe and needle programme as part of its emergency response. Lalabalavu said the country already has adequate supplies, but legislative changes are needed before the programme can be implemented. The minister also urged people to get tested and warned that stigma could prevent those living with HIV from seeking care.
“No one should be ashamed, threatened, or excluded because of their HIV status,” he said.
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A Long Way To Go
UNAIDS estimates that about 9,100 Fijians were living with HIV in 2025. Only 39% knew their status, while 22% were receiving antiretroviral treatment. Globally, about 78% of people living with HIV have access to treatment.
Jason Mitchell, who leads Fiji’s national HIV response taskforce, said controlling the epidemic could take more than five years. He also warned that rising HIV-related illness was putting additional pressure on hospitals and outpatient services in an already strained health system.
UNAIDS welcomed Fiji’s emergency declaration, saying it reflects the urgency needed to strengthen the response across government and communities. The agency also warned that the situation demonstrates that AIDS remains a global public health concern and that HIV epidemics can change rapidly.
