According to data from Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner (SKR), Sweden's association of municipalities and regions, nearly 50,000 people have waited longer than the healthcare guarantee's 90-day limit for surgery. The SKR waiting time database shows that more than 146,000 people were in queue for surgery in February, with over one-third having waited more than 90 days.
Johan Kaarme, head of the healthcare and social care department at SKR, acknowledged the situation in a radio interview, stating that while surgery rates in Swedish healthcare are increasing, the needs are also growing. "The fact is that surgery rates in Swedish healthcare are increasing, but the needs, or the patients we can help, are becoming more numerous," Kaarme said.
The fact is that surgery rates in Swedish healthcare are increasing, but the needs, or the patients we can help, are becoming more numerous
The issue has had severe consequences for some patients. An 85-year-old woman named Vanja reportedly lost vision in one eye after waiting too long for care, blaming the long healthcare queue for her condition.
While waiting times worsened during the pandemic, they have improved somewhat in recent years. However, queues continue to be filled by Sweden's aging population, according to the reports.