Keeping teeth in order…

You may not know that in the health programme supported by Semiliki there are a number of dental units. The first dental centre was set up in Butembo in the early 1990s, but was badly looted in the war.

Recently, it has been partially re-equipped. Since then another 4 health centres have opened small dental units, and staff in other centres pull teeth in the absence of better alternatives.

Paluku Ringo runs the dental centre in Butembo, but is currently studying for a degree in dentistry at the Nursing Institute in Aru. During breaks and vacations he goes back to Butembo to support Sosthène and Charlotte (on the right of the picture), who run it now.

Meanwhile up in Aru, William leads the team, with assistant Josephine keeping everything in order (below). The equipment is all appropriate for the clinic, which has only a small generator for power and no mains. This also means that William can travel to other health centres with some of the kit to provide an extension service.

Ringo has such experience that people come from far and wide to get treatment in Butembo. He is particularly skilled in putting dislocated jaws back in place and wiring them up if they are fractured, as happened to this man when he came off his motorbike: