Fiji’s HIV outbreak is a public health emergency. Pacific neighbours must step up

AFP via Getty Images Delegates attending the Pacific HIV Symposium in Fiji next week will be confronting one of the region’s most urgent health challenges: the fastest growing HIV outbreak in the world .

HIV prevalence among adults in Fiji is now 1.6% .

This means about one in 60 adults lives with the virus.

This is likely the tip of the iceberg : just one-third of people living with HIV in Fiji know their status , and only a quarter are receiving treatment.

Experts project yearly infections will triple by 2030 .

Sadly, the equivalent of one child every week is born with HIV in Fiji, while one dies of AIDS-related complications every month.

This is a public health emergency whose causes and consequences extend well beyond Fiji’s islands.

In a region connected by travel, work, study and family ties, the challenge demands attention, support and informed engagement from its neighbours .

An outbreak with many causes The crisis is already gaining international attention, with Fiji in the spotlight at the AIDS2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro in July.

The head of Fiji’s national HIV outbreak cluster response task force, Jason Mitchell, told delegates : It’s important to talk about what’s happening in Fiji, as it can happen anywhere in the world.

No single factor explains the outbreak.

Health authorities and experts point to a combination of rising methamphetamine use and needle sharing , disruptions to funding for prevention and treatment services, health system pressures and a culture of silence and stigma surrounding HIV.

Since declaring the outbreak in January 2025, Fiji has established a dedicated HIV response task force and expanded testing and treatment.

There is increasing emphasis on prevention tools.