Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency after a surge in cases, and authorities are ramping up testing, treatment and prevention as the Pacific island nation fights one of the world’s fastest-growing HIV epidemics.
According to UNAIDS, about 9,100 people in Fiji were estimated to have HIV in 2025. Only 39% knew their status and 22% were on antiretroviral treatment. The proportion of adults living with HIV has increased to about 1 in 60, up from 1 in 167 five years ago.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services reported that Fiji recorded 2,016 new cases in 2025, the highest annual figure ever and a 27% increase over 2024. Officials said expanded testing has helped to fuel the reported diagnoses, but also to show how widespread the epidemic is.
“This means HIV is now a national crisis and the government is treating it like one. No more business as usual,” said Health Minister Antonio Lalabalavu.
The government intends to introduce more widespread free testing and treatment, greater access to HIV prevention medicines and a needle and syringe programme. More than half of known transmissions were linked to sexual transmission and more than 42% to injecting drug use, said UNAIDS.
UNAIDS described the crisis as “a stark reminder to the world that AIDS is not over.”
