Since 2010, Fiji has recorded a 260 per cent increase in HIV infections, making Fiji the second fastest-growing epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Ministry of Health’s analysis of the data revealed that 245 new cases of HIV were diagnosed last year – the highest ever to be recorded in a year.
Of these, adults constituted 94 per cent (231 cases), and children 6 per cent (14 cases).
The data also revealed that males were the most affected at 61 per cent (150 cases), followed by females at 36 per cent (88 cases) and transgender with 3 per cent (seven cases).
A total of 43 per cent of new cases were among individuals aged between 20 and 29 years and 28 per cent between 30 and 39 years.
The new Health Ministry figures have caused a bit of concern for entrepreneur and business consultant Liliana Warid, who has worked closely with sex workers creating awareness of HIV and AIDS.
She says she cannot understand why all of a sudden these statistics have popped up.
“Stats like this are built up over time and we just went quiet about HIV and AIDS and suddenly it’s like this,” Mrs Warid said.
“Obviously, something that we’ve been doing hasn’t been working and it’s just a shame that this information has either been suppressed or intentionally put aside or maybe just forgotten for some reason.
“We’re really in a desperate situation when it comes to NCDs, rape statistics, because only a tiny amount has been reported, those that are dying from overdose and drugs, that’s not even reported on at all.
“We never see any of this, the sniffing of glue, I know of someone who recently attended two funerals of two teenagers who died from sniffing glue.
“It’s a shame that we haven’t been on top of the data and adjusting our approach.
“If the data continues to increase in a particular area let’s change our approach, so we must quickly evolve.”
