Helsinki mayor orders city to stop charging for surgical abortions

During a heated parliamentary discussion on health-care fees, Helsinki’s deputy mayor Daniel Sazonov declared that the capital will direct HUS to stop collecting payments for all surgical abortions. He argued that, while the expense is small, the principle warrants a flexible approach rather than categorising abortions by background. The decision comes as the national government prepares to increase several patient fees and introduce a new charge for surgeries, a policy that has already faced criticism.

Other welfare regions, which have autonomy over user-fee decisions, are expected to consider similar steps. The debate also touched on exemptions for childbirth and miscarriage-related care, with the government ultimately choosing to remove fees for those procedures as well. Sazonov’s stance reflects a push to balance fiscal measures with reproductive rights.