The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is working on a targeted outreach program designed to engage key populations including youth, street dwellers, inmates, and other vulnerable groups to address the 32 percent of HIV cases heavily impacting the 20 to 24 year age brackets.
The Ministry continues to scale up its National HIV Outbreak Response, following the release of the Fiji HIV Surveillance Report 2025, which reveals 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025 and a cumulative total of 5,676 cases in Fiji.
It says these figures, which are results of expanded testing across all divisions, reinforce what is already known: Fiji is in the midst of a serious and evolving HIV outbreak that requires sustained and intensified response efforts.
Chair National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Taskforce and Interim Lead Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV Unit, Doctor Jason Mitchell says the 2025 data represent a turning point in the response to HIV.
He says while the numbers are a sobering reminder of the challenge we face, they also prove that their strategy is working.
Doctor Mitchell says by conducting over 92,000 tests last year, the surveillance systems are providing the clarity needed to address this epidemic head-on.
The Ministry’s report also highlights that nearly 60 percent of HIV-related deaths in 2025 occurred because patients were diagnosed too late.
To counter this, the Ministry is intensifying its partnership with community organisations to encourage people to come forward for testing without fear.
Doctor Mitchell says the Ministry is not just reporting numbers, they are acting.
He add their focus is to test more, treat faster, and support every individual living with HIV to achieve viral suppression.
The epidemic is also increasingly affecting younger people, with 67 percent of cases now in the 20 to 34 age group.
While unsafe injecting practices, unprotected sex, and mother-to-child transmission remain key drivers, more than half of cases still have no clearly identified transmission route because these individuals have not yet enrolled in care, showing that HIV is spreading beyond traditionally recognized risk groups.
The public is encouraged to visit their nearest health facility for free, confidential testing as part of the nationwide “Know Your Status” campaign.
Since the unit's establishment, it has successfully finalized the National Outbreak Response Plan, integrated HIV services into primary healthcare settings, and strengthened partnerships with Civil Society Organizations and NGOs.
Health services have been significantly expanded so that more places can test people on the spot with point-of-care testing expanded by almost 300 percent.
Fifteen key community hubs have also been equipped with rapid testing kits enabling results in minutes.
HIV treatment services are also moving out of major hospitals and directly into divisional health centres to bridge gaps, with only 56 percent of people living with HIV receiving treatment.
Doctor Mitchell will appear on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan at 7pm Wednesday live from Fiji Showcase at the Vodafone Arena's internal stage.
You can send in your questions in advance and also be part of the audience.
Please see the details on our website and social media pages, fijivillage.
