Hundreds of patients treated in mould-contaminated psychiatric building in Oulu

A psychiatric care building at Oulu University Hospital has been found to contain microbial growth, including Actinobacteria, with a workplace health physician warning that exposure poses a significant health risk, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports. Authorities may take months to find alternative facilities for ongoing patient care.

The PS1 building, part of Oulu University Hospital’s psychiatric unit in the Peltola district, houses multiple departments, including wards for mood disorders, psychosis, child and adolescent psychiatry, and a hospital school. Over 120 staff work in the facility, which currently has 66 patient beds.

Nurse Esa Poikolainen, who has worked in the building for roughly three years, is now on medically prescribed sick leave after developing chronic respiratory symptoms. “My breathing started wheezing strangely—my family even asked if I had the flu,” he told Yle. Symptoms progressed to persistent coughing, mucus buildup, hoarseness, and fatigue, with medical records showing half a year of continuous phlegmy coughing. His condition improved only during extended leaves but worsened upon returning to work.

Investigations this spring confirmed microbial contamination, including Actinobacteria, in the building. While staff have reported health issues for years, Jaana Hinkkala, director of the North Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Services County’s expertise centre, said deeper sampling and mould-detection dogs were needed to verify the problem. “The scale became clear only when we took samples from deeper layers,” she explained.

The building’s ground floor, previously housing an eating disorder unit until its relocation in 2023, was identified as the worst-affected area. Hinkkala acknowledged that dozens of staff have experienced respiratory symptoms, while hundreds of patients—though exposed for shorter periods—have passed through the contaminated facility over the years. No patient complaints about indoor air symptoms have been recorded.

Poikolainen, recently diagnosed with asthma, said his symptoms have extended into his personal life, leaving him chronically fatigued and prone to prolonged illnesses. “I’ll never know for sure if this caused my asthma, but I never had lung problems before,” he said. He will not return to the building.

Patient care continues in the PS1 facility for now, as the North Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Services County searches for replacement premises—a process that may take months.