HIV testing should not intimidate anyone, as the outcome can be beneficial, says Jokapeci Tuberi, who has been living with HIV for over 20 years.
Stakeholders have gathered for a two-day workshop on HIV and AIDS prevention in Fiji, held at the Southern Cross Hotel in Suva.
Civil society organizations and stakeholders are participating in the workshop aimed at raising HIV awareness.
Sanaila Suguturaga, a representative of the Ministry of Education, emphasized that while schools play a vital role in educating children about HIV, it is a shared responsibility.
“We need assistance from NGOs, government leaders, community leaders, parents, and everyone else. Awareness is crucial because this issue has been ongoing for a long time, but we do not discuss it often enough,” Suguturaga stated.
“Teenage pregnancy has been a persistent issue, but the problem of blood sharing is really alarming,” he added.
Jokapeci Tuberi from the Fiji Network for People Living with HIV highlighted the importance of testing.
“As someone living with HIV, I strongly encourage others to get tested. If they test positive, treatments are available,” Tuberi said.
The annual number of new HIV cases in Fiji has increased drastically, from 82 in 2017 to a staggering 415 last year, with projections indicating that the numbers could double again this year.
Data from UNAIDS released last year indicated that Fiji ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region for the fastest-growing HIV infection rates and recorded the highest HIV-related deaths in the region in 2022, with 46 deaths.