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Assessment of risks associated with gambling Assessing the risks and harm caused by gambling is statutory work conducted by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The Ministry started to assess the risks and harm related to the running of gamb...

Preventing domestic and intimate partner violence The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for planning and guiding the prevention of domestic and family violence. The aim is to prevent violence and develop the nationwide service s...

Appealing income security decisions The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health does not process requests for a review, objections or complaints. Instead, it drafts legislation on appeal boards and this way ensures the legal protection of people whe...

16.6.2026 | 1(4) 12 June 2026 WORKING LIFE RECOMMENDATIONS IN CASE OF DRONE THREATS The social partners, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health together have prepared these recommendations for workplaces ...

Frequently asked questions concerning child welfare in Finland In Finland, child welfare services are based on the Child Welfare Act (417/2007) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Finnish Treaty Series 59–60/1991). The Child Welfare ...

Fighting infectious disease: Responsibilities of the authorities The task of healthcare and social welfare services is to safeguard that the population has the healthcare and social welfare services essential to their health and functional capacit...

Alcohol policy The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the guidance and development of alcohol policy. Alcohol policy refers to the public authorities’ measures to prevent negative health, social and societal effects of alcoho...

Immigrants' social security, welfare and health The MSAH is responsible for matters concerning the welfare and health of immigrants living in Finland. The Ministry deals with the basic security of immigrants, essential social and health services i...

Mediation in criminal and civil cases Mediation in criminal and civil cases is a free-of-charge public service where volunteer mediators mediate between the parties to a crime or a dispute and assist them in the negotiations. The purpose of mediat...

EHDS Regulation The EHDS Regulation is an EU regulation that improves citizens’ control over their personal health data and provides healthcare professionals with access to patient data, regardless of where patients live or receive treatment. The ...

Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health contributes to coordinating the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland, which is funded from the one-off EU recovery instrument ‘NextGenerationEU’. The Sustainabl...

National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Cancer is a common disease in Finland. The number of cancer deaths in the country has fallen considerably over the past decades, and as many as two out of three people with cancer recover from the disease. Howeve...

Legislation on termination on pregnancy

21.4.2022 | The number of COVID-19 patients in specialised and primary healthcare has decreased slightly. Vaccinations continue to provide effective protection against the more serious forms of the disease. A fourth vaccine dose is recommended for people aged 12 or over who have a severely weakened immune system, people aged 80 or over and all older people living in residential care homes.

Parties responsible for gambling policy The Lotteries Act, which is prepared by the Ministry of the Interior, governs gambling services. Under the Act, the primary objective of gambling policy is to prevent harm. The Programme of Prime Minister Pe...

Secondary use of health and social data A separate law has be laid down on the secondary use of health and social data (Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data). The purpose of the Act is to facilitate the effective and safe processing ...

17.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft government proposal that seeks to prevent intentional misuse of social welfare benefits, reduce incorrect social welfare payments and promote information exchange with the Social Insurance Institution (Kela). Statements may be submitted until 28 January 2026.

International examples to help Finland create governance model for wellbeing economy 4.12.2025 8.46 The economy of wellbeing offers tools for policy makers to secure the preconditions for a good life both for the current population and future gene...

Areas of experties The administrative sector of the MSAH is wide ranging. The Ministry's work is supported by expertise from all agencies and institutes throughout the sector. Promotion of welfare » Social and health services » Income security » I...

The Ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH) is one of the 12 ministries in the Government. The Ministry's tasks promote the good health and functional capacity of people promote healthy living and working environments secure suff...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Security Karoliina Partanen The National Coalition Party Minister of Social Security Karoliina Partanen is responsible for matters covered by the Department for Insurance and Social Security...

Finnish Cancer Center FICAN The Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) was established in 2019 to promote effective and equitable cancer care in Finland. FICAN’s mission is to implement the tasks defined in the Government Decree on the Division of Duties a...

Frequently asked questions about the Act on Secondary Use of Health and Social Data Usein kysyttyä: The law mentions the primary and secondary use of customer data. What is the difference between these two concepts? The primary use of customer dat...

3.3.2022 | It is recommended that everyone aged 18 years or over take a third vaccine dose. Although the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 have been eased, it is still important for people to stay at home when ill, to wear a mask in public indoor spaces and to practise good hand hygiene.

NAPE – Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence The Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (NAPE) is responsible for the coordination,monitoring and evaluation of the measures required unde...

Government branch The administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health includes several independent institutions and agencies, which implement the ministry’s objectives in society and participate in Government Programme projects....

Department for Work and Gender Equality The Department for Work and Gender Equality (TTO) guides and directs the supervision and administration of occupational safety and health, drafts legislation and policies on occupational safety and health, a...

Prevention of alcohol and drug related harm and addictions The aim of public authorities is to prevent and reduce the risks, harm and problems caused by the use of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products as well as drug use and gambling. The Minist...

10.3.2022 | The virus that causes COVID-19 continues to circulate through the population. However, vaccines provide effective protection against severe forms of the disease. It is particularly important that people aged 60 or over and those belonging to risk groups get a third vaccine dose. As the restrictions are eased, the focus will be on people’s own measures to prevent the spread of infections.

fi sv en Finnish Cancer Center FICAN The Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) was established in 2019 to promote effective and equitable cancer care in Finland. FICAN’s mission is to implement the tasks defined in the Government Decree on the Division of...

29.4.2022 | Lagstiftningen om mentalvård och missbrukarvård ska revideras. Utkastet till regeringspropositionen är på remiss fram till den 10.6.2022 klockan 16. Bestämmelserna om det arbete och de tjänster som gäller mentalvård och missbrukarvård ska i fortsättningen finnas i huvudsak i socialvårdslagen och hälso- och sjukvårdslagen.

17.2.2022 | Koronaepidemia on tasaantunut parin viimeisen viikon aikana. Sairaalahoidon tarve on pysynyt tasaisen korkealla tasolla ja tehohoidon kuormitus samalla tasolla kuin viime viikolla. Kolmansien rokoteannosten ottamista suositellaan kaikille 18 vuotta täyttäneille, mutta erityisen tärkeää se on riskiryhmille ja 60 vuotta täyttäneille. Rajoitusten keventyessä korostuvat ihmisten omaehtoiset toimet tartuntojen leviämisen estämiseksi.

COVID-19 disease in Finland Shortly Since July 2023, COVID-19 has been classified as a monitored communicable disease instead of a generally hazardous communicable disease. Vaccinations continue to be the most important way to protect against seri...

Management and organisation Two ministers and one permanent secretary run the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. A State Secretary may assist the ministers in their tasks. There are six departments in the ministry, in charge of the preparation...

Violence against children and its prevention The authorities work to prevent violence against children in many ways and in broad cooperation with various parties. The key national plans coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health incl...

15.10.2020 | The number of new coronavirus infections has increased significantly in Finland over the last month. The number of patients in hospital care has more than doubled since the end of September.  

International and EU affairs On this page Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s objectives for international and EU cooperation International Affairs Unit EU affairs at the Ministry Global cooperation Nordic and regional cooperation Human rights...

Family benefits The purpose of the benefit system for children and families is to safeguard the subsistence of the child and those responsible for his or her care, and to support the care of the child. The benefits are applied for at the Social In...

Personalised medicine Personalised medicine (or precision medicine) promotes the health and wellbeing of individuals by utilising research and new technologies and by widening the range of information resources. The aim is to prevent diseases and ...

Vaccinations Decision-making by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health concerning the vaccination programme is made with the support of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). Municipalities are responsible for the practical arrange...