Ravuanawa urges families to start talking about HIV

With the HIV crisis continuing to be a concern for Fiji, and with cases now being confirmed in children, Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa is calling on parents to start discussing these issues within their families.

Ministry of Health’s Department for Sexual Reproductive Health Clinic representative Nurse Ema Rakaususu revealed on VITIFM Virikawakawa that children between the ages of 10 to 14 years are testing positive for HIV and this is mainly due to the use of injectable drugs.

While speaking to fijivillage News, Ravunawa highlighted that the fight against HIV needs a whole of government and community approach.

He says a strong family will make a better nation and if we can teach our children to understand the situation we are going through now, it will benefit them in the future.

The Assistant Minister says for the Ministry, the main thing is to create more awareness on HIV before this disease continues to cripple our nation.

He says the most important thing is for people to know their status and only then they can try and adjust their behaviours.

Ravunawa says testing for HIV and its medication is free of charge.

Meanwhile, 1,583 cases of HIV were recorded between January and December last year, with 90.3 percent of the cases being iTaukei.

This is equivalent to 1,430 individuals.

8.4 percent of the cases were among Fijians of Indian descent, and 1.3 percent were from other ethnic groups.