Praneeta Prakash 
Fresh concerns have now been raised in relation to the surge in in tuberculosis cases linked to the country’s growing HIV epidemic.
In 2024, 18 children under five were found to have both TB and HIV which has increased from just two cases in 2023.
Acting National TB Control Officer, Dr Luse Buinimasi says the burden of the dual epidemic is being felt across all age groups.
“In 2023, we had only 43 cases of TB patients who were co-infected with HIV. 2024, this had multiplied by four with 160 cases of our total TB patients who were co-infected with HIV. Of the age groups, again, none of the age groups were spared.”
She says in most cases, HIV was diagnosed in the child first, leading to delayed discovery of the mother’s HIV status.
“Sadly, the current situation, what we are seeing with these babies, we are diagnosing HIV first in these babies and then we are doing reverse screening since most of these mothers do not even know their status. So 53% of the 38 children under five last year were co-infected with HIV. This is another new trend that we are seeing locally, which was never there since 2014 with our first case.”
Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu has described the dual burden of HIV and TB as a deepening public health emergency that demands urgent cross sectoral action.
The health officials warn that without early testing and diagnosis, many people with HIV will continue to die from Tuberculosis , which remains the most common and deadly infection among people living with HIV in Fiji.
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