The Ministry of Health is moving to expand HIV prevention options as new figures show cases continuing to climb, with 1,226 infections recorded so far in 2025 and warnings that more than 2,000 cases could be registered by year’s end without urgent action. Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa said the HIV Unit is working to introduce pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and a needle and syringe programme as part of a broadened response to the epidemic.
Ravunawa told reporters the ministry has been monitoring gaps in treatment continuity that are contributing to the spread. “A good number of them do not come back to replenish their medication, which is why the ministry, through the HIV unit, is trying to introduce other means, like the use of sterile needles, just to curb the abuse of illicit drugs,” he said, linking missed medication refills and injecting drug use to rising transmissions.
UNAIDS Country Director Renata Ram said the agency is leading efforts to introduce PrEP as a core prevention tool and is working with the HIV Unit on plans for a needle and syringe programme. Ram described PrEP options as pharmaceutical interventions delivered by daily tablets or long-acting injections — the latter administered every two months or twice a year — and stressed that correct implementation will be crucial for effectiveness. “Needle syringe programmes are currently not available in Fiji and through the task force and a technical working group that’s specifically working on introducing needle syringe programs. This is a body of work that is in the pipeline,” she said.
The announcements mark a policy shift from previous prevention efforts that emphasised condom use, testing and treatment. Earlier reporting noted a steep rise in HIV in recent years: fewer than 500 people were living with HIV in Fiji a decade ago, rising to about 7,000 by December 2024, with 1,583 new diagnoses in 2024 alone. Health officials have cited inconsistent condom use, multiple sexual partners, and needle-sharing as major drivers of new infections.
Public health experts say PrEP and needle exchange programmes have reduced new infections in many settings when accompanied by robust clinical follow-up, adherence support and harm-reduction services. Authorities in Fiji have not yet provided a timetable or operational details for roll-out, and Ravunawa and UNAIDS officials emphasised that the success of new measures will depend on careful planning, resources and community engagement.
The needle and syringe initiative is being developed through a task force and a technical working group, according to UNAIDS, but remains in the planning stage. The ministry’s emphasis on expanding the pharmaceutical toolkit for prevention reflects growing alarm about the trajectory of the epidemic: with mid-year figures already at 1,226 infections, health officials say the window to curb a projected jump to more than 2,000 cases this year is narrowing.
Next steps appear to include further technical planning between the HIV Unit and international partners, and public announcements once modalities for PrEP delivery and the needle and syringe programme are finalised. Officials have signalled the need for strong implementation frameworks to ensure these interventions translate into reduced transmissions rather than fragmented services.
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