Why are so many indigenous Panamanians contracting HIV — and dying of AIDS?

Joti, a young man living in Panama’s Ngäbe-Buglé territory, was diagnosed with HIV 9 years ago. His family refuses to touch him out of fear of infection, and he faces discrimination in his village for his diagnosis. HIV is described as an “uncontrolled epidemic” among the Ngäbe-Buglé community, with the virus being particularly lethal for the young. HIV was the number one killer in the territory in 2022, accounting for more than 7% of all deaths in the region.

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