State intervention pushes South Ostrobothnia to cut 20 million more

South Ostrobothnia’s social and healthcare district has been placed under state supervision and must now find at least €20 million in additional savings, public broadcaster Yle reports.

The district, already facing a deficit exceeding €120 million, has reduced services, sold properties, and cut staff, but the measures have not been enough. Further adjustments are now being made under the oversight of the Ministry of Finance.

District director Tero Järvinen said every operation is under review, and savings must come not just from trimming costs but from restructuring and centralising services. So far, the deepest cuts have fallen on smaller municipalities on the region’s outskirts, but local councillors warn the next round may shift closer to the regional centre, potentially affecting Ilmajoki, which borders Seinäjoki and has so far avoided severe reductions.

The impact is already visible in services for the elderly. In Ilmajoki, many activities now rely on volunteers like 83-year-old Maija-Liisa Mäki-Kahma, who helps organise events at the Hopiaratti service centre. She said the closure of the local inpatient ward, decided for this autumn, will force elderly residents to travel between municipalities for care, straining access for those without transport.

Debate continues over what constitutes a local service. The district’s policy states social and healthcare services should primarily be digital, with in-person services available within 45 minutes or roughly 50 kilometres. Jaana Mesiäislehto-Mäntypuro, chair of the disability and elderly council, noted that while no official decisions on Ilmajoki’s services have been made, many functions already depend on organisations and private individuals. She warned that shifting services to Seinäjoki would lengthen queues and increase staff turnover.