Fiji’s government declared a national emergency in mid‑September after health officials reported a sharp increase in HIV infections, with the disease now affecting roughly one in every 60 adults in the country.
The prevalence rate of about 1.7 % of the adult population marks a significant rise for a nation that has historically recorded low levels of HIV, prompting urgent public‑health action.
Authorities identified the country’s crystal‑methamphetamine (commonly known as “ice”) epidemic as a major driver of the surge, noting the drug’s link to risky sexual behavior that can accelerate HIV transmission.
Fiji, an island nation of roughly 900,000 people in the South Pacific, has previously been praised for its low HIV rates, but the recent spike underscores the challenges small states face when drug abuse intersects with infectious disease control.
The emergency declaration enables the health ministry to mobilise additional resources, expand testing and treatment services, and intensify prevention campaigns aimed at both curbing meth use and reducing new HIV infections.
<small>Source: NPR — read the original story there.</small>