- World
- Sep 18
Fiji declares HIV a national crisis as cases surge
• Fiji has declared HIV a national crisis after data showed one in 60 people in the South Pacific island nation is now estimated to have the virus.
• Fiji is facing one of the sharpest increases in new HIV infections globally.
• An estimated 9,100 people were living with HIV in 2025.
• Out of those, only 39 per cent knew their HIV status and just 22 per cent were accessing antiretroviral treatment.
• One in every 60 adults in the country has HIV, compared with one in 167 five years ago.
• Among cases with a known mode of transmission, over half were linked to sexual transmission and more than 42 per cent to injecting drug use.
• The government has announced expanded HIV prevention, testing and treatment, including wider access to medicine to prevent HIV (PrEP), including long-acting prevention options such as twice-yearly injections, stronger community engagement and action against stigma and discrimination.
Key facts about HIV:
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occurs at the most advanced stage of infection.
• HIV remains a major global public health issue, having claimed an estimated 42.3 million lives to date.
• HIV targets the body’s white blood cells, weakening the immune system. This makes it easier to get sick with diseases like tuberculosis, infections and some cancers.
• CD4 cells, also known as CD4+ T lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cells that plays a crucial role in the immune system. HIV destroys these CD4 cells, weakening a person’s immunity against infections.
• If the person’s CD4 cell count falls below 200, their immunity is severely compromised, leaving them more susceptible to infections.
• The most advanced stage of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which can take many years to develop if not treated, depending on the individual.
• HIV is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids. It is not spread by kisses, hugs or sharing food. It can also spread from a mother to her baby.
• HIV spreads more easily in the first few months after a person is infected, but many are unaware of their status until the later stages. In the first few weeks after being infected people may not experience symptoms. The infection progressively weakens the immune system.
• There is no cure for HIV infection. It is treated with antiretroviral drugs, which stop the virus from replicating in the body.
• Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not cure HIV infection but allows a person’s immune system to get stronger. This helps them to fight other infections.