Despite experiencing some of the fastest economic growth in Latin America and having public health services that cover 90% of the population, Panama has significant inequities in the availability and quality of health services. Although the HIV epidemic is concentrated (0.8% prevalence among the general population), prevalence among MSM and transgender people is amongst the highest in Central America (currently 14% and 15% respectively). Similarly, over the past 15 years, Panama suffered from above-average TB rates but has experienced a faster rate of decline than the region as a whole. Nonetheless, it persists in leading the region in TB incidence.
Read more...The current Global Fund HIV/TB grant supports numerous programmatic interventions related to HIV and TB, as well as joint HIV-TB activities, including prevention, treatment and care, procurement and supply chain management, monitoring and evaluation, removing legal barriers to accessing health services, strengthening community systems, and programme management. GF grants have significantly improved the reach and quality of the national disease response, contributing to scaled up distribution of condoms and lubricants, HIV tests, and TB laboratory supplies and equipment to modernize diagnostic techniques as well as non-medical supplies including food, vehicles and building supplies. Community peer promoters have also been trained to assist in active searching for HIV and TB cases to increase detection rates. Before the initial GF TB intervention, DOTS coverage in indigenous comarcas i was essentially nonexistent at just 3%; through the GF-supported project, coverage expanded to nearly 100% in these regions. Other training has focused on programmatic strengthening, such as human resources and equipment maintenance. The current grant also includes civil society strengthening as a goal. This is reflected in the fact that CSOs were involved in the development of the most recent national TB and HIV strategic plans.
Key results - HIV
18,800 counselling and testing encounters for HIV
12,800 people currently receiving antiretroviral therapy
Source: UNDP (2018)
5,285 deaths averted due to people being on ART between 2006 and 2017
70% know their status
92% prevention of transmission of HIV from mother to child
Source: UNAIDS (2018)
Retention on ART 12 months after commencing treatment (2018)
Source: UNAIDS
Key results - TB
Case detection rate
Source: World Health Organization (2017)
4,044 successfully treated
Source: UNDP
Treatment success rate
Source: World Health Organization (2016)
TB related mortality
Source: World Health Organization
Cross-cutting
Maternal mortality
Source: World Health Organization
Infant mortality
Source: World Health Organization
Grant details

Country results
All countries and regions
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- Europe & CIS
- Kyrgyzstan
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- Latin America & The Caribbean
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- Regional grants
- Africa Regional HIV Grant
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