Two of Fiji’s leading medical authorities are calling for extraordinary measures to tackle Fiji’s rising HIV cases.

Medical Officer in Charge at the Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic Central and Eastern Division Dr. Dashika Balak, and Fiji Medical Association president Dr. Alipate Vakamocea are suggesting a range of measures aimed at immediately responding to the crisis.

They link the increase to practices like ‘chemsex’ and ‘bluetoothing’ and say this warrants a government response similar to strategies adopted in other countries facing similar challenges.

The duo suggested distributing clean needles to drug users, a controversial but potentially effective step, and believe this could help curb the HIV crisis despite its risks.

According to Dr. Balak, Fiji’s new narcotics and illicit drug strategies could incorporate this approach, which has proven effective in many countries, as part of their harm reduction efforts.

“One of the prevention interventions that has really worked globally, and they are best practices and evidence-based, is known as the needle syringe program. We give them clean, sterile needles and syringes so that they don’t share unsterile ones, and this will halt or reduce the transmission of HIV and other blood-borne infections.”

Dr. Balak claims that IV drug use has exploded following COVID-19 as stringent measures have resulted in people sharing needles.

“Some of the pharmacies are still not sending needles and syringes, so that led to them sharing, and when you share needles and syringes, you are sharing blood as well, and if that blood has infection, you will be sharing that infection as well, and that is the harm that we need to reduce.”

Dr. Vakamocea says this is why they are pushing for HIV to be declared a crisis, as only then the necessary measures will be taken.

“This is the reason we want to declare the outbreak, because this is where the Ministry will be able to have the ability to take these extraordinary measures to be able to introduce things like the needle exchange programs.”

Permanent Secretary for Health Dr. Jemesa Tudravu says HIV in Fiji is a crisis and the Ministry has already implemented a surge strategy to combat the outbreak.