A New Zealand traveller planning to visit Fiji on a promotional trip in November says she is waiting for more information after the country declared a national HIV emergency on Tuesday.
The New Zealand government website SafeTravel has warned people travelling to Fiji to avoid activities that could increase their risk of infection.
The traveller, who RNZ Pacific has agreed not to name, said she contacted the organisers of the trip but had yet to receive a response.
She said she is not considering cancelling her trip but wants more information so she can make an informed decision.
“I hope this trip goes ahead without issue,” she said.
“But hey, how will we know that someone isn’t going to play roulette with our lives?”
RNZ Pacific has sought comment from MediaWorks NZ, which is involved in the promotional trip.
Declaration impact on travellers
University of Canterbury senior health lecturer Dr Jalal Mohammed said the declaration would not be a significant issue for most New Zealanders travelling to Fiji.
However, he told Pacific Waves that it provided a way to reinforce basic health messages.
Fiji HIV crisis: Expert calls for greater regional support
“Should we be concerned as New Zealanders? I mean, we do have strong familial ties with Fiji. A number of our citizens have connections to Fiji, a large number go to Fiji and travel.”
“There is a few tourists that will engage in risky behaviours. So I think there is an opportunity to provide key messaging around Fiji is undergoing a HIV epidemic – don’t share needles, don’t have unprotected sex, those sorts of key messaging.”
HIV emergency declaration a ‘positive step’
Mohammed said the declaration is a “positive step” in helping the country to tackle the epidemic.
Fiji’s government current estimates indicate that one in every 60 adults in Fiji is living with HIV.
Speaking to Pacific Waves, Mohammed said in the past five years the number of HIV cases has increased by 1400 percent.
He said the epidemic is affecting all communites across Fiji, with the pattern of transmission changing as cases continue to climb.
“It’s becoming a more generalised outbreak,” Mohammed said.
“It is impacting other segments of society so we are seeing sexual transmissions, we are seeing mother-to-child transmissions. So what this declaration does is that it recognises the seriousness of this issue.”
Fragile health system
Mohammed said a large portion of Fiji’s budget is spent on the country’s health system, but that the infrastructure is ailing. He added that discussions of safe needle exchanges need to be actioned.
He added that stigma plays a role in preventing people from accessing treatment.
“There are elements of society that are saying, that if you provide safe needle exchanges, you are promoting drug use – that is not the case.”
“We know from evidence that providing safe needle exchanges does not increase drug use but it will certainly decrease the number of cases.”
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Fiji’s development partners could also do a lot more to help the country in its response, Mohammed said.
In July last year, New Zealand gave NZD$4 million to Fiji, but Mohammed said the support should go beyond funding.
He said New Zealand’s experience in managing HIV could provide Fiji with technical expertise to help strengthen its response.
The focus, he said, should be on helping Fiji expand prevention, treatment and public health measures.
