The alarming rise in HIV cases among the youth has prompted an urgent appeal from Women and Children Minister Lynda Tabuya.

Following the alarming statistics revealed by the Ministry of Health, Tabuya expressed deep concern over the escalating number of HIV infections, particularly among teenagers, driven by the misuse of drugs and unsafe sexual practices.

While highlighting the disturbing trend of Bluetooth Tabuya says that children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable, not only to the health risks associated with the practices but also due to their involvement in drug trafficking.

“We have a couple of cases that we’re dealing with of teenage boys that are having to live with HIV because of Bluetoothing. This is becoming a crisis, and I appeal to adults who are using children to be drug mules, who are using children to transport these drugs, they are not educated enough to make the right decisions when it comes to these drugs. So please, stop peddling children to be drug mules”

Minister for Women and Children, Lynda Tabuya

Tabuya is calling for a collective response from the community, stressing that the government, cannot combat this crisis alone.

“To our adults who are consuming this, it’s obviously very bad for them, but the case of HIV is directly related to the amount of drugs that are being used in this country, and so it is affecting our teenagers, it’s affecting our children, and this needs to stop.”

Fiji has recorded 552 new cases of HIV in the first six months of this year, with 73 percent of the new cases in individuals less than 39 years of age.

According to the Ministry of Health, 137 new cases are in the 20 to 24 year age group, 128 or 23% are in the 25 to 29 year age group, and 9% or 50 new cases are in the 15 to 19 year age group.