The Reproductive Family Health Association is working closely with the Pacific Laboratory Specialists to take its awareness programs on HIV and AIDS to the grassroots people.

This as there are over 1, 400 HIV cases in the country with 141 new cases recorded in the first six months of this year.

According to the Ministry of Health, this is alarming as this number is normally recorded in 12 months.

Pacific Laboratory Specialists Lab Scientist, Josese Mailulu says they are not only providing testing services but are also creating awareness on HIV and AIDS.

“We are not going to sit here and wait for people to come, we are now taking part with the Reproductive Family Health and IPPF is on our awareness part that is taking the people, how we can go and educate the grassroots people, the people in the villages who will inform them.”

According to the Global AIDS Monitoring 2022 report, there was a 173 percent increase in AIDS-related deaths in Fiji between 2010 and 2021.