FIJI has opened its new National Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and HIV Office, marking a major step in strengthening the country’s response to what has now been recognised as a generalised HIV epidemic.
The new headquarters, described as the “home of Fiji’s national response to HIV”, will serve as the national coordination hub for HIV prevention, testing, treatment, data management and divisional-level responses.
The office will oversee three divisional SRH and HIV hubs, which will coordinate responses across Fiji and support efforts to prevent new infections, expand access to care and ensure people living with HIV receive timely treatment and support.
The opening was attended by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, who announced $FJD23.5 million in funding support towards Fiji’s National HIV Outbreak Response Plan under the Vuvale Union Health Partnership.
Senator Wong said the partnership between Fiji and Australia reflected a shared commitment to strengthening health security across the Pacific.
“Responding to HIV is not just a health challenge. It’s a community challenge,” she said.
She highlighted the role of communities, faith leaders, civil society organisations and health workers in reducing stigma and connecting people with essential services.
“A strong and effective HIV response here helps build a healthier and more resilient Fiji, Australia and the wider Pacific family by preventing new infections, strengthening health systems and improving access to treatment.”
The funding commitment comes as Fiji continues to scale up its national response following the declaration of an HIV outbreak in January this year.
Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Atonio Lalabalavu, said improved surveillance and data collection had shown that HIV was no longer limited to specific networks but was spreading across communities.
“Today, HIV prevalence stands at 1.6 per cent among adults aged 15 to 49, and around 2 per cent among pregnant women. The evidence now tells us plainly: Fiji is facing a generalised HIV epidemic,” he said.
Dr Lalabalavu said Fiji had moved from an incremental response to building a structured national system, including the establishment of the National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Taskforce and the Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV Unit.
“We have built the foundations. Now we must deliver – with urgency, at scale, and where it matters most,” he said.
The Minister outlined three key priorities for Fiji’s next phase of response: scaling up combination HIV prevention, improving early diagnosis and treatment, and taking services closer to communities.
This includes expanding access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms and lubricants, HIV testing, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), harm reduction services and sexual health services.
He said the Government would also focus on ensuring people living with HIV receive early treatment, remain in care and achieve viral suppression.
“The science is clear: a person living with HIV who achieves and maintains an undetectable viral load does not sexually transmit HIV. Undetectable equals untransmittable,” Dr Lalabalavu said.
The new approach will rely on decentralised services through divisional hubs, sub-divisional care teams, outreach programmes and peer-led initiatives, with the Government measuring success through coverage and access.
Dr Lalabalavu emphasised that communities must remain at the centre of Fiji’s HIV response.
“Communities are not simply beneficiaries of Fiji’s HIV response. They are partners in designing it, delivering it and holding us accountable for its success,” he said.
“To people living with HIV, key populations, young people, peer workers, civil society, faith, traditional and community leaders – you are not at the edges of this response. You are at its centre.”
He also issued a strong message against stigma and discrimination, saying Fiji’s HIV response would not succeed through judgement.
“We will not control HIV through stigma. We will not control it through judgement.” The opening of the National SRH and HIV Office represents a strengthened Fiji-Australia partnership, with both countries committing to a coordinated, community-centred approach to addressing HIV and improving health security across the Pacific.
