Archipelago: Fiji islands declare state of emergency due to HIV infections

kna/taz | The Fiji Islands have declared a national emergency due to rising HIV infections. Testing for the immunodeficiency virus remains voluntary, the Pacific nation's health ministry said on Thursday, according to the Fiji Times newspaper. A program to provide clean syringes and rehabilitation for drug addicts is also being planned. According to government estimates, one in 60 adults among the 930,000 inhabitants is infected with HIV.

According to the newspaper, Health Minister Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said that previous containment measures were not enough. Fiji declared an AIDS outbreak in January 2025 after the number of new infections tripled to 1,093 between January and September 2024. The Pacific Islands are also a popular vacation destination.

According to the Fiji Times, the situation is particularly worrying among pregnant women: one in 50 women are diagnosed with the HIV virus during preventive examinations. The National Human Rights Commission emphasized that any emergency rules related to the infections must have a clear legal basis and be necessary, proportionate and time-limited.