By  Margot Thomas

 The annual Dental Week celebration for patients, parents, and staff, organized by the National Oral Health Commission      (MINSA, CSS, University of Panama, and Panama Dental Association) returned last week and again brought smiles to scores of faces.

Dr. Sol Torres and Dr. Gilda Chanis, who have been a guiding light behind the event for many years were back with their organizing team and the months of preparatory work bore fruit with prizes galore for individuals participating in art competitions and prizes for wards striving to be the best decorated for their patients during the week.

While the patients have revolved the staff dedicated to nursing them back to health is largely unchanged and their vociferous support for their candidates in the friendly competition between wards to choose a king and queen for the day has, if anything,  grown stronger. But on the day, it was the burns unit that produced the “royal couple.”   

While the clown who MC’d the event delighted the audience, the “dressing” competition between a group of nurses was a top of the bill performance.

All this with a background of delay and prevarication over the starting date for a new hospital which has been in the works for over 10 years as doctors, nurses and support staff struggle to cope with insufficient beds and overcrowded outpatient and administrative facilities in a crumbling superstructure.  They deserve better.

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