Fiji is confronting one of the world's fastest-growing HIV epidemics, officially declaring the disease a national crisis after new diagnoses surged 27% last year. The Pacific island nation of roughly 900,000 people recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, with the government estimating that 1 in 60 adults is now living with the virus — a striking figure for a country outside sub-Saharan Africa.

The crisis is no longer limited to a single risk group. While injecting drug use has historically driven infections, more than half of cases with a known transmission route are now linked to sexual transmission, signaling a broader spread across the population. Tragically, 59 babies were born with HIV last year, and 18 died before their first birthday.

In response, Fiji is expanding free, voluntary, and confidential testing, widening access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and launching a needle-and-syringe program. A five-minister Cabinet subcommittee has been formed to cut through bureaucratic barriers.

By the Numbers:

• 2,016 new HIV diagnoses recorded in Fiji in 2025 — a 27% rise
• An estimated 9,100 Fijians are living with HIV
• Only 39% of those living with HIV know their status; just 22% are on antiretroviral treatment
• 59 babies born with HIV last year; 18 died before age one

Why it matters: UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima called Fiji's situation "a stark reminder to the world that AIDS is not over." With the majority of those infected unaware of their status and fewer than a quarter receiving treatment, the gap between diagnosis and care is vast — and closing it fast is critical to preventing further spread.