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Annex

Improvement in Neonatal and

Infant Mortality Rates in Cyprus

There has been a considerable drop in neonatal and infant mortality rates worldwide since the 1960s,

from a worldwide average of 116 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 1960 – 1965, to a worldwide
average of 47 infant deaths per 1000 live births for 2005 – 2010, with great variation between less and

more developed countries.34 The most striking fall in the last 50 years has been in neonatal mortality
rates, due to overall improvements in antenatal and maternity care. Post-neonatal rates fell when cot

deaths were reduced by changing the advised sleeping position for infants.

The equivalent figures for the Republic of Cyprus were reportedly 40 infant deaths per 1000 live births in
1960 – 1965,35 though more recent analysis of the data by Professor Evans indicates that a more accurate

figure for the infant mortality rate in Cyprus for the period 1960 – 1966, based on 14,000 – 15,000 births
per annum, is just under 30/1,000.There has been significant improvement since then, as the figure is
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now as low as an average of 4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births between 1995 and 2010.

The infant mortality rate in the Sovereign Base Areas (and therefore at The Princess Mary’s Royal Air

Force Hospital Akrotiri and at the British Military Hospital Dhekelia) during 1960 – 1965 would appear
to be broadly comparable to the figures for Cyprus as a whole, at about 30 infant deaths per 1,000 live

births per annum during those years.37

Maternity care in the 1970s Further historical evidence of the high standard of maternity care at British
Military Hospital Dhekelia in the early 1970s (and specifically following the 1974 coup & invasion),

and the improvement in antenatal care in Cyprus in just ten years, can be gauged from a report which
appeared in 1977 in the Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps.
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This latter report showed that despite the upheaval of the troubles of July – August 1974, and the influx
into the Eastern Sovereign Base Area of up to 80,000 displaced persons (including many pregnant women

who had undergone no antenatal care before presenting to hospital in labour), the infant mortality rate
at British Military Hospital Dhekelia for the period July 1974 – July 1975 was no higher than a gratifying

10 per 1,000 live births.

As for The Princess Mary’s Hospital, Akrotiri during the same period, the data within the midwives’
official ‘Registers of Cases’ for July 1974 – July 1975 show only one stillbirth, and only two neonatal

deaths out of 183 live births (11/1,000). Though the post-neonatal (29 days – 1 year) mortality data could
not be calculated with complete confidence from these registers alone, and the overall number of births

is much lower so statistical data is less reliable, it would appear that the infant mortality rate was similar

to that at BMH Dhekelia. These results for both service hospitals compare very well with the situation
just ten years before, in 1960 – 1965, when the infant mortality rate for the Republic of Cyprus (and in

the British bases) was about 30 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

34 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant_mortality#Global_infant_mortality_trends

35 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate
36 Professor Stephen Evans, personal communication to author, September 2012.
37 Evans, Professor SJW, op cit.

38 Printer, K D, (1977), ‘Obstetric record of the Cyprus Emergency July 1974 to July 1975’ Journal of the Royal Army Medical
Corps, Vol. 123, pp. 142 – 147

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