CCSS faces criticism over salary delays and infrastructure failures

Health sector unions in Costa Rica are challenging official figures from the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) regarding salary delays. While the CCSS reported only 482 cases of delayed payments—with most expected to be resolved by mid-October—unions argue the true number reaches into the thousands.

Lenin Hernández, general secretary of the Sindicato Nacional de Enfermería y Afines (SINAE), stated that the official count only includes workers who did not receive their full salary, omitting those with pending overtime, salary differences, or unpaid amounts following promotions. The Asociación Nacional de Profesionales en Enfermería (ANPE) has also submitted formal requests to authorities to address these discrepancies.

Parallel to labor disputes, the institution faces significant infrastructure and financial challenges. Reports indicate that state debt to the CCSS is contributing to equipment failures, such as broken radiology machines at Hospital México and the Hospital de Heredia, which prevent patients from receiving essential diagnostic tests like CT scans. These issues are compounded by broader concerns regarding specialist shortages and hospital capacity limits.