The small Pacific nation of Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency as it grapples with surging case numbers, partly driven by a growing methamphetamine problem.
A tourism hotspot famed for its friendly culture, white-sand beaches and teeming coral reefs, Fiji first declared an outbreak of the virus in January 2025 and ramped up testing, revealing the scale of the spiraling pub
Declaring the emergency on Tuesday, Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu said the country had 2,016 new diagnoses of HIV in 2025, calling it a sign of the “seriousness of the epidemic and the urgent, coordinated response our country now needs.”
The epidemic has reached the country’s newborns, with a two-month-old baby becoming the youngest identified patient living with both HIV and tuberculosis (TB), Save the Children Fiji said this week. HIV attacks the immune system and makes it easier to contract TB. Last year, 59 babies acquired HIV from their mother, the organization said.
Five years ago, one in 167 Fijians were estimated to be living with HIV. But in recent years, Fiji has seen a surge in intravenous drug use as the islands have emerged as a crucial transit point for narcotics being trafficked from the Americas to lucrative markets in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Asia.
This, along with persistent sexual transmission spurred by low condom use and stigma, has made the outbreak difficult to tackle.
