Sweden’s newly appointed Health Minister Elisabet Lann fainted during a live press conference on Tuesday, September 9, the same day she took office.
The 48-year-old politician was speaking alongside Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch when the incident happened.
Footage shared by CBS News shows Lann slowly leaning forward as another official spoke. She then became unconscious and collapsed, knocking over the translucent podium in front of her.
Highlights
- Elisabet Lann, Sweden’s new Health Minister, fainted during a live press conference on her first day in office.
- Lann collapsed after leaning forward and was helped by officials; she attributed the fainting to a drop in blood sugar.
- Lann aims to reduce long waiting times and increase government control in Sweden’s health care system.
Sweden’s newly appointed Health Minister Elisabet Lann fainted during a live press conference
Image credits: Elisabet Lann/Facebook
Journalists and government officials rushed to help. Busch quickly assisted Lann by rolling her into the recovery position while government security personnel supported her.
Lann was soon able to return to the conference, where she explained that the fainting was caused by a drop in her blood sugar.
“This was not exactly a normal Tuesday, and this is what can happen when you have a blood sugar drop,” she said.
It is not clear if Lann sustained any injuries during the fall or if medical attention was given.
NDTV reported that a scheduled Q&A session with Lann and other governmental employees was canceled.
Lann’s appointment came after the resignation of her predecessor, Acko Ankarberg Johansson, who stepped down on Monday, September 8, after three years as health minister.
Before becoming the health minister, Lann served as a municipal councilor in Gothenburg since 2019.
She is a longtime member of the Christian Democrats and holds a master’s degree in peace and development studies and political science.
She also worked as deputy director of the Cabinet Office and took part in the Health Care Responsibility Inquiry.
Before her collapse at the press conference, Lann addressed Sweden’s health care challenges.
Lann fainted on the same day she took office
Image credits: Elisabet Lann/Facebook
“Swedish health care is of high quality; the main issue is the long waiting times,” she said. “We must transition to equitable health care. It is clear that we must strengthen government control. It is not worthy of a welfare state that so many people are waiting for healthcare.”
An eyewitness described the scene to The New York Post, saying, “It looked really bad. She fell right in front of me.”
Johansson and the Christian Democrats’ main goal was to nationalize Swedish health care. Lann was a member of the investigative committee that concluded this year that full or partial nationalization of the Swedish health care system is not yet achievable.
One of Lann’s goals as health minister will now be to increase government control.