Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency after a sharp rise in infections, with health officials warning that young people are increasingly affected by the crisis.
The country recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, a 27 per cent increase from the previous year and about 12 times the number recorded in 2010. An estimated 9,100 people are now living with HIV in the island nation of about 930,000 people.
The crisis has been closely linked to the growing use of methamphetamine and the sharing of contaminated injecting equipment. More than 42 per cent of new cases in 2025 were associated with injecting drug use, while health advocates have reported that even primary-school-aged children are becoming involved in drug use.
Authorities are expanding HIV testing, treatment and prevention services, while plans are underway to make sterile needles and syringes more widely available. Health officials are also pushing for greater access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, a medicine that can help prevent HIV infection.
Only 39 per cent of people estimated to be living with HIV currently know their status, while 22 per cent are receiving treatment.
The government expects tackling the emergency to take several years, with stigma, drug use and limited access to healthcare presenting major challenges.
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