Hiiumaa loses maternity care as hospital staff shortages force women to travel mainland
Since July, Hiiumaa’s hospital has stopped offering maternity services, leaving expectant mothers without a clear plan for transport or funding.
Hiiumaa Hospital halted all maternity services on July 1, forcing pregnant women to seek care on the mainland despite the facility’s existing equipment. Staff shortages are the root cause: a pediatrician retired, a gynecologist was unavailable for several days in September, and an anesthesiologist will be absent for roughly a week in October. Residents such as Kärolyn Kivistik, expecting her fifth child, now face up to €1,000 in extra expenses, including costly short-term rentals in Tallinn, and must navigate limited ferry schedules that do not run at night.
Director Riina Tamm outlined provisional travel plans but highlighted unresolved issues about who will cover accommodation, transport, and return logistics. Health experts suggest patient-hotel models funded by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund as a possible solution, while the Ministry of Social Affairs stresses that hospital boards, not the ministry, decide on unit closures. The situation underscores a wider regional policy challenge affecting rural maternity care across Estonia.
Why it matters
The loss of local maternity services forces island families to bear high travel costs and risks, highlighting gaps in Estonia’s rural healthcare policy.
In this story
