La Teletón Panama announced the launch of La Teletón Chiriquí, which aims to equip and remodel the Burns Unit of the José Domingo Obaldía Maternal-Child Hospital, to substantially improve the conditions of the facility dedicated to treating children with severe burns from that region. 30% of all burned children under 14 in the country are treated in this hospital, and the figures are alarming: 348 patients in 2019, 1,231 in 2020, 871 in 2021, and 1,010 in 2022 just in Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro, far exceeding national averages. The director of the Burns Unit at the José Domingo Obaldía Hospital, Alfredo Moltó, specified that the number of burned children in the province is becoming a public health problem. He added that the current unit is not properly designed for pediatric burns, as dressings are performed in regular showers instead of a comprehensive therapeutic bathing system. Furthermore, it lacks individual cubicles with controlled air conditioning for personalized treatments and does not have enough specialized beds or vital sign monitors. The president of the Active 20-30 Club, Danilo Pinto Muñoz, highlighted that this year's goal is to provide the hospital with state-of-the-art equipment, including hospital beds with monitoring towers, a comprehensive system for therapeutic baths and dressings, air-conditioned individual cubicles, and a specialized recovery bed with an Air Fluidized Support System – with sodium lime pearls – that accelerates healing, reduces infections, pain, and immobilization, and prevents skin graft loss. Meanwhile, the president of Teletón 2026, Giacomo Tamburrelli, stressed that the remodeling of the Burns Unit will not only save lives in Chiriquí but will also raise the standard of care for the western part of the country, where childhood burns are a silent emergency. While the president of Teletón 2026 indicated that in this way, a direct and effective contribution will be made to the well-being of children, providing medical treatments, specialized therapies, and educational programs adapted to local needs. "Imagine: in each province, local heroes leading the fundraising, with vibrant events that unite communities, regional celebrities, and beneficiary families," he added. The event will take place on March 13-14 at the facilities of the David International Fair, and will feature the participation of national artists who will liven up the stage with their performances.
