| MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICAL SERVICES HON. DR RATU ATONIO RABICI LALABALAVU Keynote Address for World AIDS Day 2025 VENUE : Sukuna Park, Suva DATE : 1st December, 2025 |
TIME : 12.00pm
- The Australian High Commissioner to Fiji –His Excellency Mr. Peter Roberts;
- The Resident Representative for the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji –
Ms. Munkhtuya Altangerel (Tuya);
- The UNICEF Pacific Representative – Mr. Hamish Young
- UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador, His Excellency Ratu Epeli Nailatikau
- CSO – Reps from STRUMPHET
- People Living with HIV Representative – Mr Joeli Colati;
- Distinguished Guests;
- Members of the media;
Bula vinaka and a warm welcome to you all.
Today, Fiji joins the world to mark World AIDS Day 2025 a day to honour lives lost, stand with people living with HIV, and recommit to ending HIV as a public health threat.
The global theme, “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response,” calls on us to rebuild and strengthen systems disrupted by pandemics, economic pressures, and social inequities.
Here in Fiji, we express this through our national theme:
“Healthy Islands, Healthy Futures: Ending HIV Transmission Together.”
This theme reflects our belief that every Fijian deserves access to safe, quality, people-centred services and that HIV, STIs and blood-borne viruses must not determine the futures of our young people.
This year marks a turning point. In early 2025, Fiji declared a national HIV outbreak and adopted a National Outbreak Response Plan, led by the National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Taskforce and the newly established SRH and HIV Unit a decisive political response to a rapidly escalating HIV crisis.
To back this with real action, the Fiji Government allocated $10 million to the HIV response; the largest domestic investment in Fiji’s HIV history. This funding is now driving:
- Human resources across prevention, diagnostics, treatment and data,
- Programming and outreach to communities, and
- Procurement, ensuring a more reliable supply of essential commodities.
This investment sends a clear signal: Fiji is taking ownership of its HIV response and is not relying solely on external partners.
We also acknowledge the critical support of our development partners, who join us today to help celebrate and further commit to our national response.
Firstly, during this year’s World AIDS Day Celebration, the Government of Australia, through DFAT, is handing over approximately FJ $1.6 million in biomedical equipment and life-saving commodities, including rapid test kits, antiretroviral medicines, viral load consumables, and prevention supplies. This investment strengthens diagnostics and treatment continuity across the country and complements Fiji’s own $10 million allocation.
We further acknowledge UNICEF for its leadership and technical support in Elimination of Vertical Transmission (EVT). Their partnership has enabled the development of Fiji’s first-ever Guidelines for the Triple Elimination of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B, helping protect mothers and babies and moving us closer to a future where no child in Fiji acquires an infection that could have been prevented.
Together, these investments reflect a powerful model: domestic leadership backed by strategic global partnership.
Despite progress, HIV diagnoses in Fiji continue to rise. Too many people are still being diagnosed late, when they are already unwell. This tells us we must:
- Expand testing and early detection,
- Strengthen prevention, including condoms, PrEP and harm-reduction approaches,
- Ensure everyone diagnosed can start and stay on treatment, and
- Address the intertwined epidemics of STIs, hepatitis and other blood-borne infections.
Our theme, Healthy Islands, Healthy Futures, must translate into action.
For Government, that means fully utilising our $10 million allocation, strengthening workforce capacity, laboratories and supply chains, and ensuring that policies and laws support, not hinder, access to services.
For partners, it means aligning support with national priorities and continuing to accelerate innovation and community-led approaches.
For individuals, it means taking charge of your health:
Protect yourself, protect your future get informed, get tested, and use prevention tools.
Use condoms consistently with all sexual encounters.
If you are an intravenous drug user, use sterile needles and syringes, don’t share needles and syringes and drug mixing equipment.
For those who are tested, and are positive for HIV, commence HIV treatment as soon-as-possible and stay on treatment for life. Treatment is free in Fiji and we are increasing the number of clinics in the country, who can provide treatment and care for you and your family.
As we commemorate World AIDS Day 2025, let us honour the lives lost, support those living with HIV, and stand with the health workers and communities leading this response.
Fiji has taken bold steps, declaring an outbreak, investing $10 million, strengthening diagnostics with support from Australia, and advancing the elimination of vertical transmission with UNICEF.
But our journey continues.
Let us move forward with determination, unity, and hope building Healthy Islands and Healthy Futures, and working toward a Fiji where HIV transmission is no longer a threat to any family, any community, or any child.
Vinaka vakalevu and thank you.
