Health

Fiji has a worrying trend of HIV and AIDS: Dr Lalabalavu

June 7, 2023 4:18 pm

Minister for Health and Medical Services, Doctor Atonio Lalabalavu has called on strengthened efforts to combat the worrying trend of HIV and AIDS in the country.

This as Fiji is among the top five countries of rising new HIV and AIDS cases in the Asia Pacific region, according to a recent Global AIDS Monitoring Report

Dr Lalabalavu says Fiji is moving in the opposite direction compared to other countries.

Article continues after advertisement

“So, it is something that we have to sit down and look back on our policies and programmes that have been done in the past up until now … and we have to see how effective it is. I have talked around and there are some review that needs to be done and we will do that in the process and see how best we can achieve good results.”


Health Minister, Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu.

Dr Lalabalavu says Fiji needs to review its policies to strengthen its HIV and AIDS programme.

The Minister has also called on strengthened collaboration between the government and stakeholders to combat the worrying trend in the country.

According to the recent Global AIDS Monitoring Report, Fiji is the second-highest country with rising new cases of HIV and AIDS in the Asia Pacific region.

Fiji currently has 1553 active cases of HIV and AIDS in the country.