A TWO-MONTH-OLD baby living with HIV and tuberculosis (TB) has raised concerns about the impact of HIV on children in Fiji.
The baby was identified as the youngest patient in Fiji living with both HIV and TB. Save the Children Fiji has called for better prevention, testing and treatment in a report released by FijiVillage on September 16, 2026.
As of August 31, 2026, Fiji had recorded 438 TB cases, while 182 people were living with HIV.
The organisation said the situation among young children was also concerning, with 70 per cent of children under five diagnosed with TB last year also living with HIV.
In 2025, 59 AIDS cases were recorded among children born with HIV, while 67 new HIV cases were reported among children under 15. A total of 17 children under 15 also died from HIV-related causes.
Save the Children Fiji said the figures represent children and families who need protection, care and support. It emphasised that people living with HIV should not be blamed or shamed.
The organisation is calling for better access to HIV testing and treatment, as well as antenatal care for pregnant women to reduce the risk of HIV being passed on to babies.
It also wants children and teenagers to receive age-appropriate HIV education and encourages parents to have open conversations with their children about HIV and health.
Save the Children Fiji said the Government, communities, churches, schools, traditional leaders and civil society should work together to respond to Fiji’s HIV crisis.
