Hannu Karpo criticises the social welfare system in his last TV appearance: he did not get help for his illness

Hannu Karpo’s last TV appearance will be shown today on Yle. The documentary series Money Finland will be broadcast on Yle Arena at midnight at 00:01.

In tonight’s midnight episode, Karpo criticises Finland’s social welfare system. Karpo says, among other things, that “there is work for the axe”.

– I got pretty sick a few weeks ago. And then there’s this social welfare system, which I don’t understand a damn thing about,” Karpo says in an interview.

In the programme, Karpo says he called the social services number.

– There was a telephone respondent who said we would contact you immediately. It’s been five weeks now. There hasn’t been any contact yet, Karpo says in the program.

Karpo was interviewed for the program late 2023. \n – I don’t know who it is that we have such a public health situation, but it is bad. Yes, it would, as Grandma said, work with an ax.

Karpo criticises answering machines, not doctors

In the Money Finland program, Karpo also says that he does not criticize doctors, but the system and faceless telephone respondents.

– I don’t stone doctors. The sick situation that if you needed help now, there is nothing for it. There is a faceless telephone respondent who says we record your call to promote the service, and that’s where it ends.

In the program, Karpo also tells about his problems with his heart. \n – In 1969 I got the first pump fire. Later I have been to research.

– I have one half of the heart dead and the other is playing a little. So panic is useless.

“Maybe this time could use a new Hannu Karpo”

-He said in an interview that he had had heart problems since the 1960s, but that there was nothing to worry about. He was quite positive, Pye says.

According to Pye, the encounter with a journalist legend was interesting and touching. According to Pye, Karpo was once again able to summarize Finns’ feelings about the difficulty of getting a doctor and the problems of the elderly with telephone automatic machines.

Pye also discusses the change in journalism from Karpo’s times.

– He told about his practical work. In a way, supply has changed, we may no longer be able to go secretly. But he once brought a lot of drawbacks and made a change. After the interview, there was a feeling that maybe this time would need a new Hannu Karpo.

Pye met Karpo in November 2023 and again in late 2024. Karpo was still in a sharp condition at their last meeting, says Pye.

*YLE MONEY Finland documentary series now available at midnight at Yle Arena 00:01.*

*News Edited 22.3.2025 at 9:22 pm: Added journalist Minna Pyen comments about her meeting with Hannu Karpo.*