Debt of $96 billion threatens closure of Cali children's hospital

The Fundación Clínica Infantil Club Noel, a leading pediatric hospital in southwestern Colombia, faces a severe financial crisis due to unpaid debts from multiple EPS (health insurers). The hospital's outstanding accounts receivable have reached 96,000 million pesos, a 300% increase since December 2022, according to general manager Jaime Domínguez Navia Source: elcolombiano; larepublicaco. This debt threatens the sustainability of the institution, which serves about 6,500 pediatric emergencies, 6,000 specialized consultations, and 40 surgeries daily Source: elcolombiano.

Debt sources

The largest debtor is Emssanar with nearly 20,000 million pesos. Other major debtors include Asmet Salud, Coosalud, Sanitas, Nueva EPS, and SOS, which together account for 80% of the receivables Source: elcolombiano; larepublicaco. Particularly critical is SOS, which has not paid since December 2025 and has no active contract with the hospital for two years, yet Club Noel continues to treat its emergency patients, accumulating over 2,200 million pesos in unpaid care in the first half of 2026 Source: larepublicaco.

Operational impact

While the hospital still provides care, it has begun to restrict some services due to inability to pay suppliers and specialists Source: elcolombiano. María Cristina Lesmes, Valle del Cauca health secretary, noted that the situation is part of a broader crisis in Colombia's health system, with intervened EPS owing over 7 trillion pesos to the region's hospital network Source: elcolombiano. The hospital urges EPS to disburse funds to ensure continuity of care for thousands of children.