According to a report from the Ministry of Health (MINSA), cited by the newspaper La Prensa, Panama surpassed the first target of the global 95-95-95 strategy, promoted by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), which stipulates that 95 percent of people should know their diagnosis, 95 percent of them should have access to treatment, and 95 percent should achieve viral suppression.

A recent study points out that the country reached 96 percent in the first link of this chain: people diagnosed know they are living with the virus. However, progress loses momentum when considering what happens after diagnosis.

It is estimated that 31,588 people are currently living with HIV/AIDS in Panama, of whom 21,034 were receiving antiretroviral therapy as of December 2024. In percentage terms, only 69 percent of those diagnosed have access to treatment.

In practice, this means that more than 10,000 people know they are living with HIV, but are not receiving the therapy that would allow them to control the virus, preserve their health, and reduce the risk of transmission.

Each number represents a person who, for various reasons, has fallen through the cracks of the care system: economic barriers, stigma, lack of information, access difficulties, or a system that fails to retain those it has already identified, warns the Ministry of Health.

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