Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency as cases surge, partly linked to a growing methamphetamine problem. An estimated one in 60 adults in the Pacific nation now has HIV, reversing the global trend of declining infection rates.
Fiji Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu declared the emergency on September 15, saying Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV cases in 2025. He called the figures a sign of the “seriousness of the epidemic,” adding that an urgent, coordinated response was needed.
The outbreak has also affected newborns, with Save the Children Fiji saying a two-month-old baby is the youngest known patient living with both HIV and tuberculosis.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are nearly 40 million people living with HIV across the world, the majority of whom are women. Of those diagnosed with HIV, approximately 630,000 die from HIV-related causes. There is no cure for HIV and AIDS, but there are medications that can help manage the progression of the disease.
Around 77% of people living with HIV are receiving antiretroviral therapy. Fewer people than ever are dying from the disease thanks to these treatments. Yet recent cuts to development funds seriously impact access to treatment worldwide, which experts fear may provoke an epidemic that we haven't seen since the disease's peak in 2004.
So, what happens when people suddenly lose access to treatment? Click through the following gallery to find out more.