The José Martí Pérez Provincial Pediatric Hospital in Sancti Spíritus has set up a Cadeca office within the facility, allowing doctors and other staff to withdraw part or all of their salaries in cash due to the challenges they face in obtaining money from banks and ATMs.
The opening, reported by the official newspaper Escambray, highlights one of the consequences of the cash crisis and the challenges of the banking process in Cuba: workers who have their salary deposited in a bank account but face obstacles when they need to access it.
The situation is particularly complicated for those who spend hours in operating rooms and intensive care units and cannot leave the hospital during their shifts.
"Since we arrived in the morning, we haven't been able to leave the institution, and by the time we do, it's already past three or four in the afternoon, and the banks have stopped serving customers. It was a real headache," acknowledged Darisbel Rodríguez-Gallo, operating room staff member.
Leticia Benítez from the Mental Health department described another common issue: "We have had many days of waiting at the ATMs without being able to withdraw money."
The hospital director, Ramón Aquino, explained that the idea originated specifically from the workers in closed areas, such as Intensive Care and the surgical unit, due to the nature of their shifts.
"So far, we have also managed to ensure that the staff receives their full salary without having to leave the building," Aquino stated. The service is reserved for the employees of the Pediatric Hospital.
The need to establish a currency exchange office within a hospital to ensure that workers have access to their own salaries contrasts with the banking policy promoted by the Cuban government, which has sought to reduce the use of cash and expand electronic payments since 2023.
In July 2026, only 3.77% of transactions in Cuba were digital, while in Sancti Spíritus, less than 10% of private businesses regularly accepted transfers. The persistence of cash as the primary means of payment forces many Cubans to rely on ATMs and bank branches to cover everyday expenses.
The point established at the Pediatric hospital is the second of its kind in a healthcare institution in Sancti Spíritus. Since the end of 2023, another one has been operating at the Camilo Cienfuegos General Hospital.
Cadeca's own offices are not exempt from the issues affecting services on the island. Héctor Peña, the director of the branch in Sancti Spíritus, acknowledged that the branch located on the boulevard of the city still lacks photovoltaic solar backup to continue operating during blackouts.
Despite these limitations, Cadeca intends to replicate the model in other sectors. Peña confirmed that Education will be next, and that efforts have already begun to establish a similar service in the provincial capital.
Related videos:
Filed under: