Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu says stigma and discrimination were two main reasons why millions lost their lives to HIV-related illnesses.
Speaking during the handover of $290,000 worth of antiretroviral (ART) therapy treatment by the High Commission of India to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, he said Fijians needed to work together towards zero discrimination and stigmatisation of individuals affected and infected with HIV.
The ART medication is a lifeline for the community of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who without this treatment, would likely succumb to the complications of HIV and AIDS.
Dr Lalabalavu said the medicines were safe, saved lives, and prevented newborn babies from contracting HIV – even when their mothers and fathers are HIV positive.
“Antiretroviral treatment has been free-for-all Fijians ever since it was first brought into the country, and it will continue to be free for the life course of individuals.”
Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong said a problem they faced was in securing “the right supplier to give the right medicine and stored in the right way”.
“This is usually our biggest problem with some of these expensive medications,” he said. “We will try our best to make sure that there are enough antiretroviral (ART) medicines to go around.
“There is a threshold that triggers us to say, ‘we don’t have enough let’s get some more’ and I know that the threshold is way above zero – been an ongoing system for a while.”
“The medicines need to be given to us in a way to ensure that it remains effective from the factory to the point of delivery.
“And when we have quality assurance problems around that area that’s the time when we have to remove that supplier and move to another supplier and when we do that we end up with shortages.”
