Australian foreign minister Penny Wong has announced FJ$23.5 million (more than US$10m) for Fiji’s HIV response.
Wong said the funding goes to prevention, training, workplace support, community outreach, and essential health supplies.
“Our support recognises that this is a health challenge, but it is also a security challenge,” she said.
“Alongside our health partnership, we’re also working together to combat transnational crime, illicit drug trafficking, which is contributing to this challenge across the region.”
More than 2000 new cases of HIV were diagnosed that year.
In a report, the country’s Ministry of Health said there were 117 HIV-related deaths reported in 2025 – of whom 67 cases were diagnosed and died in the same year.
That report also noted 2717 confirmatory tests were done, but 2016 individuals were registered as newly diagnosed cases – a discrepancy reflecting repeat testing among known people living with HIV (PLHIV) and multiple testing encounters prior to formal registration.
Wong said a whole-of-community response is required.
“No single leader, no single program will deal with this challenge. The whole of the community have to be engaged on this.”
