What Happened
Patients undergoing hemodialysis at Hospital Santo Tomás in Panama City have raised alarms over equipment problems, shortages of basic supplies, medication concerns, and visible infrastructure damage inside the treatment area.
Juan Muñoz, a representative of the Association of Patients with Kidney Disease, said some machines have failed and that only one tomography machine was operating for urgent cases at one point, leaving other patients waiting.
He also said nurses have been forced to work with too few basic materials, including tape and gauze, and warned that medication shortages have affected care.
Conditions Inside the Dialysis Unit
Patients waiting outside the hemodialysis building described a cramped entrance area with limited seating and long waits before treatment. The unit operates with 14 machines and corresponding chairs, providing hemodialysis, dialysis and other treatments in two shifts.
According to the patients’ representative, the program serves 36 patients per shift, while the list of registered patients exceeds 340. He also said another group is sent to private clinics contracted by the Ministry of Health, but delays in payments to those providers could threaten continuity of service.
Muñoz, who said he has been in treatment for more than 10 years, added that he is part of a transplant program that has stalled because of equipment shortages. He called for more budget to buy machines and supplies.
Hospital Response
Hospital Santo Tomás responded through its General Medical Directorate, saying that after checking with the nephrology service and technical areas, it had not identified any situation that would affect the continuity or quality of care in the hemodialysis program.
The hospital said the program treats more than 500 patients who receive hemodialysis three times a week. It also said the tomography machine had been under maintenance and is now operating normally.
Hospital officials said there is no shortage affecting patient care and noted that the institution spends $6 million a year on hemodialysis treatment, including equipment, supplies, food, nutritional supplements and dialysis kits.
Infrastructure Repairs Ahead
Patients also pointed to cracked walls, loose tiles and water leaks in several parts of the building, saying the conditions raise concern. The hospital said the Medical Directorate has already ordered corrective measures and that the public bidding process has been completed for upcoming work on the building.
The dispute highlights the pressure on Panama’s public health system, where dialysis services are essential for patients who depend on regular treatment several times a week to survive.