Australia commits US$10 million for Fiji's HIV response

Australian foreign minister Penny Wong has pledged US$10 million (FJ$23.5 million) to support Fiji's HIV response efforts. As of March, the nation's HIV response head reported that at least 9,000 Fijians are HIV positive, constituting almost one percent of the population. Wong explained that the funding will be allocated to prevention measures, training, workplace support, community outreach, and essential health supplies.

Wong emphasized that while this is primarily a health issue, it also poses a security challenge. She highlighted that alongside the health partnership, Australia is collaborating to combat transnational crime and illicit drug trafficking, which exacerbate the HIV crisis across the region.

Fiji declared an HIV outbreak in January 2025, with over 2,000 new cases diagnosed that year. The country's Ministry of Health reported 117 HIV-related deaths in 2025, including 67 cases diagnosed and dying within the same year. The report also noted 2,717 confirmatory tests conducted, but 2,016 individuals were registered as newly diagnosed cases - a discrepancy resulting from repeat testing among those already known to be HIV positive and multiple testing encounters prior to formal registration.

Wong called for a comprehensive community response to tackle this challenge, asserting that no single leader or program can effectively address the issue. She stressed the necessity of engaging the entire community in the fight against HIV.