Kainuu and Central Ostrobothnia consider moving breast cancer surgeries to Kajaani

A proposal to centralise breast cancer surgeries at Oulu University Hospital has prompted Kainuu and Central Ostrobothnia’s wellbeing services counties to explore alternative solutions, including relocating surgeries from Kokkola to Kajaani, according to regional media reports. However, the chair of Central Ostrobothnia’s regional council denies any such negotiations are underway.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has called for increased cooperation among northern wellbeing services counties, citing insufficient volumes of breast cancer surgeries in both Kainuu (62 procedures) and Central Ostrobothnia (70), falling short of the required minimum of 150. The Northern Finland Wellbeing Services County (Pohde) has proposed centralising surgeries in Oulu, a move Kainuu’s wellbeing services director Sami Mäenpää argues would increase costs by up to €1 million annually.

Regional newspapers Keskipohjanmaa and Kainuun Sanomat reported that Kainuu and Central Ostrobothnia’s Soite are negotiating a potential exchange: breast cancer surgeries would shift from Kokkola to Kajaani, while hip and knee replacements would move in the opposite direction. But Sari Innanen, chair of Central Ostrobothnia’s regional council, dismissed the claims, stating, “There are certainly no such plans. If an agreement were being drafted, I would be aware of it.”

Soite’s chief medical officer Katja Linnavuori emphasised that Finnish law guarantees patient choice in specialised healthcare, making it unlawful for one region to direct patients elsewhere. She also questioned the practicality of Kokkola patients travelling to Kajaani, noting the lack of direct transport links and the availability of Oulu University Hospital as a closer alternative.

Mäenpää defended Kainuu’s current system, calling its breast cancer surgery process “one of the best-functioning” in the hospital, with high patient satisfaction and strong outcomes. He warned that outsourcing would disrupt this while incurring additional costs for travel and accommodation.

Wellbeing services counties across northern Finland are currently renegotiating their cooperation agreement under pressure from the ministry, which has deemed the existing framework non-compliant with healthcare legislation.