Anna-Kaarina Aalto | |
|---|---|
 Aaltoc. 1958 | |
| Member of Parliament forKymi | |
| In office 2 February 1971 – 21 January 1972 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1920-08-12)12 August 1920 Toivakka, Finland |
| Died | 16 April 1994(1994-04-16) (aged 73) Lappeenranta, Finland |
| Political party | National Coalition Party |
| Spouse | Risto Aalto |
| Alma mater | University of Helsinki |
Anna-Kaarina Aalto (12 August 1920 – 16 April 1994) was a Finnish physician and politician who served in theParliament of Finland from 1971 until 1972. A member of theNational Coalition Party, she represented theKymi constituency. Aalto was a prominent figure inSouth Karelia, well-regarded for her medical practice and public service. She was a member of theLappeenranta city council for nearly forty years.
Anna-Kaarina Aalto was born on 12 August 1920 inToivakka, Finland. After graduating from high school in 1938, she began studying medicine at theUniversity of Helsinki, though her studies were interrupted byFinnish entry intoWorld War II. During the war, Aalto served in the Finnish Blood Service (Veripalvelu [fi]), and was a doctor atmilitary hospitals. She received aBachelor of Medicine degree in 1943, and alicentiate in medicine in 1947.[1][2]
Aalto began her medical practice in 1948. Initially working as a school doctor and counselor, she later established her own private medical practice along with her husband, serving the city ofLappeenranta and the surrounding towns. Aalto's medical practice led to her becoming highly regarded in theSouth Karelia region; the newspaperHelsingin Sanomat wrote that the community's level of trust in her was so high that "the name Aalto became synonymous with doctor in many homes", and recalled an instance where she breastfed the infant of a patient suffering frommastitis.[note 1][1][3]
In additional to her medical practice, Aalto was also socially and politically involved, and was considered to hold influence among several local and national boards. She was also a member of severaltemperance organizations and women's groups, including the Finnish Women's Sobriety Center and the Sobriety Friends Association, serving as president of the former.[1][2] Throughout her life, Aalto advocated particularly strongly forsingle mothers, who she felt were being "accused of increasingjuvenile delinquency".[4][5] A member of theNational Coalition Party, Aalto was a member of the Lappeenranta city council for almost forty years.[1] In February 1971, she was appointed to theParliament of Finland following the death of incumbentJuha Rihtniemi; Aalto had previously been designated hissubstitute,[6] and so served out the remainder of Rihtniemi's term.[7][8] Aalto represented theKymi constituency until the end of her term in January 1972. While in parliament, she was a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.[9]
Aalto retired from her medical practice in 1983. She died on 16 April 1994 in Lappeenranta.[1][2]