The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has reported six cases of mother-to-child HIV transmission this year, contributing to a total of approximately 13 cases recorded for 2023. Dr. Rachel Devi, head of Family Health, emphasized the importance of treatment in preventing such transmissions. She noted that if a pregnant woman with HIV is on antiretroviral therapy, the risk of passing the virus to her child is substantially reduced, resulting in the child being born HIV-negative.
Dr. Devi compared current statistics to the same period last year, indicating a similar trend in case numbers. The ministry is focused on ensuring that every pregnant woman receives testing and knows her HIV status to mitigate mother-to-child transmission.
The doctor addressed concerns around transmission methods, including the sharing of needles, known as “bluetoothing.” She highlighted that injectable drug use is a significant factor contributing to the spread of HIV in Fiji.
Emphasizing the urgency of the situation, Dr. Devi urged HIV-positive mothers to seek testing and begin antiretroviral therapy as soon as possible to lower their viral load and decrease the likelihood of transmission to their infants.
Furthermore, the ministry disclosed that among the 552 new HIV cases registered from January to June of this year, 85 individuals identified as injectable drug users.