Kamna Kumar 
Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong.
The Australian government is providing an additional $5.7 million to support Fiji’s response to HIV.
This comes on top of the $5 million Australia had already committed to help Pacific Island countries develop and implement country-specific HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness campaigns.
The new funding was announced today by Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong.
“Now, there are deeper challenges still. I know that the rise in HIV cases is a serious concern. This includes funding for disease surveillance, testing, and vital community-led prevention and treatment initiatives.”
Wong said Australia is aware of and concerned about the increasing number of HIV cases in Fiji and understands that addressing the issue will require strong collaboration.
She adds that Australia is building on its $620 million Partnerships for a Healthy region to deliver an $81 million package to address issues affecting our region including HIV/AIDS, dengue fever and polio.
Earlier this year, Minister for Health Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu declared an HIV outbreak, revealing that 1,093 cases were recorded between January and September 2024.
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