The fight against the continuing rise of HIV statistics in Fiji is getting more complex for medical personnels to contend and contain.
Speaking at the HIV Clinical Training for Internal Medicine Physicians, Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa training and upskilling the officers is a step towards helping fight the HIV crisis.
“This training is about building confidence, sharpening clinical judgment, and aligning every patient interaction with the best available evidence and national protocols.”
“It is also about confronting stigma, in ourselves, in our facilities, and in our systems. Because behind every late diagnosis is often a wall of silence, shame, that leads to missed opportunity.”
Ravunawa said the cases more complex now.
“We are seeing rising numbers of people presenting with advanced HIV, complex co-infections, and late-stage complications that no longer allow us the luxury of delay or complacency.”
“The lives lost, 126 just last year, are not just statistics. They are stories of people who slipped through the cracks of a system that must now evolve and adapt, quickly and decisively.”
The Assistant Minister said that Government will continue to lead the fight against this dreadful disease.
“The Government of Fiji remains fully committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat. Earlier this year, we declared HIV a national public health emergency and endorsed the Fiji HIV Outbreak Response Plan to drive a coordinated, whole-of-government response.”
“This included the establishment of the National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Taskforce, and a push for significant national budget allocations to strengthen surveillance, prevention, treatment, and workforce capacity needs.”
Ravunawa acknowledged the work of all medical professionals around the country.
“We know that the success of our response depends not just on resources, but on the strength and dedication of the people delivering care. That is why this training, and your leadership, matters so much.”
The three-day workshop is underway at the Novotel Hotel in Lami.
