Campaign at the Archbishop Makarios III Hospital
«We are redusing active and passive exposure to the Radiation emmited by Mobile Phones, and Wi-Fi at the Archbishop Makarios the Third Hospital - Protecting the children»«We are reducing active and passive exposure to the Radiation emmited by Mobile Phones, and Wi-Fi at the Archbishop Makarios the Third Hospital – Protecting the children»
The Cyprus Committee on Environment and Children’s Health carries out the aforementioned campaign with the support of the Archbishop Makarios III Hospital’s Department of Pediatrics and the cooperation of the Pediatric Intensive Therapy Unit.
Objective: To maximize the prophylaxis and enhancement of Children’s Health and to promote Makarios Hospital as a prototype / pioneer hospital that applies the Precautionary Principle.

At Makarios Hospital in Cyprus we are reducing children’s exposure to Wi-Fi and cell phones. We are using technology safely. Find out how in the video that follows:
The President and the members of the Cyprus National Committee cordially thank Mr. Loucas Hamatsos for his consecutive non-profit participation in the informative videos on Electromagnetic Radiation Radiofrequency (EMF/RF).
Brief video spot on the Makarios Hospital campaign:
CAMPAIGN
“WE ARE REDUCING THE DIRECT AND PASSIVE EXPOSURE
TO NON-IONISING RADIATION EMITTED FROM CELL-PHONES AND Wi-Fi
AT THE ARCHBISHOP MAKARIOS III HOSPITAL – WE ARE PROTECTING THE CHILDREN”
PART A
Concept and Rationale

Nicosia, March 2019
The Campaign is a cooperation between the Archbishop Makarios III Hospital (NAM III) and the Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Children’s Health (CNCECH).
With the active support of the Executive Director of the Archbishop Makarios III Hospital, Dr. A. Neophytou, the Director of the Pediatrics Department, Dr. A. Elia, and with the collaboration of the intensivists Dr. Andreas Sergis and Dr. Antonis Kleanthous, and the nursing staff of the Pediatric Intensive Therapy Unit (PITU).
OUR AIM: The highest possible degree of protection from radiation and the enhancement of Children’s Health
FINAL OBJECTIVE: “THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND THE PROMOTION OF THE ARCHBISHOP MAKARIOS III Hospital as a MODEL/PIONEER HOSPITAL THAT APPLIES THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE, REDUCING THE EXPOSURE OF CHILDREN TO THE RADIATION EMITTED BY WIRELESS COMMUNICATION”
Avoiding unnecessary exposure to Wi-Fi, tablets, mobiles, mobile internet (data) is possible and necessary with the utilization of wired internet (Ethernet) and the avoidance of mobile phones within the children’s chambers, waiting areas and preferably within the whole units.

PHASE A, PILOT
1st ACTION – Awareness raising of patients & families
- Broadcasting of the 4 VIDEOS of the CNCECH that were funded by the Ministry of Health in waiting areas of the NAMIII (Video links: 2015 for Children, 2016 for Pregnant Women and the Foetus, 2017 for Teenagers, 2020 the Makarios Hospital Campaign, 2020 the Makarios Hospital Campaign (Short spot), and all the Committee’s EMF videos)
- Placement of 10 Posters that indicate the 16 Rules for the safe use of wireless connections (from the Common Positions paper of 2017)
- Distribution of related leaflet to pregnant women and induction of the subject in their briefing
- Displaying posters with relevant messages during the campaign
2nd ACTION – Pilot Application in the Pediatric Intensive Therapy Unit (PITU)
- Informing the Medical and Nursing Staff of the Unit – Training on “Good practices for the reduction of direct and passive exposure”
- Informing the children and parents by distributing related material
- Providing wired internet connection through Ethernet and/or power lines in the whole Unit
- Deactivation of the Wi-Fi
- The purchase of 2 laptops of special specifications
- Prohibition of the use of cell-phones and cellular data within the chambers. Gradually, the measure is to be extended as far as possible throughout the unit with the possible exception of offices, if necessary.
- Measurements of radiation levels before and after intervention, taken by Dr. Theodore Metsis.
- Evaluation was based mainly on EUROPAEM Guidelines 2016 (20) (PDF) EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems and illnesses (researchgate.net)
The cost of technical equipment for wired connections and computers (3 & 5) will be covered through a donation by Dr. Stella Canna Michaelidou in the memory of her husband, Dr. Polys Michaelides.
3rd ACTION – Publicity
- Publicity Campaign at National and International Levels in collaboration with the Press and Information Office, preparation of videos, printed material, and publicity through radio and television
- A Press Conference at a date deemed appropriate by the Hospital’s Directorate with the intended participation of the Minister of Health, Mr. Constantinos Ioannou
PHASE B : EXPANSION
Graduate expansion of the measures to other units e.g. of gynaecology and peadiatric, clinics: This will depend on the success, experiences and results of PHASE A’, and will be designed accordingly.
INDICATIVE Timetable in 2019:
Action 1: Immediate Implementation
Action 2: February Pre-Work, March-May Implementation of 1-6
Action 3: Mainly in May-June
RATIONALE
Exposure to EMF/RF is a serious and complex Public Health issue of great importance, because the risks are serious and can affect all children, the younger generation and the population as a whole. The potential effects of non-ionizing radiation of electromagnetic fields (EMF/RF) in the 30KHz-300 GHz frequency range, include carcinogenicity (possibly carcinogenic 2B IARC 2011, while recent studies, i.e. Hardell 2014-2017, NPT/USA 2016, Ramazzini 2018 (1), indicate the need to upgrade the classification at least to potentially carcinogenic category 2A or carcinogenic of the category 1), neurodevelopmental toxicity, effects on DNA, fertility, electronic hypersensitivity (EHS) and other serious effects that are well documented by peer reviewed research and studies.
EMF/RF can increase oxidative stress in cells, lead to an increase in pre-inflammatory cytokines, and reduce the ability to repair breaks of single and double-stranded DNA strands. Cognitive dysfunction, learning and memory disorders have also been recorded. These impacts may occur at levels well below the existing limits of ICNIRP, EC Recom. 1999/519. Embryos and children have vulnerable development systems that will determine the development of human life. Their exposure to EMF/RF at early stages of their development is of particular concern, due to – among others – greater radiation absorption and deeper penetration (twice as much as the adult in the brain tissues and 10 times higher in the brain bone marrow (IARC 2011)), potential effects on the development of the developing brain, the nervous system and their reproductive system, the onset of cancers, cognitive disorders, etc. Sick children, especially those who have neurological problems, or are immunocompromised, have cancer, or other health conditions are particularly vulnerable (“Radiofrequency exposure in young and old: different sensitivities in light of age–relevant natural differences.” Reviews Redmayne M, and O. Johansson. in Environmental Health, vol. 30, no. 4, 2015, pp. 323-35).
Exposure to the EMF/RF within the hospital, especially in the premature babies units, is inevitable due to the use of equipment necessary for their survival. Therefore, it is imperative that any additional and unnecessary exposure from Wi-Fi routers, tablets, mobile phones, and cellular data is avoided. And this is feasible.
- Based on the Nicosia Declaration of 2017 http://paidi.com.cy/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Com-Pos-EN_-F.pdf and review of international studies http://paidi.com.cy/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/REF_Com-Position-Feb21-FINAL.pdf. One comprehensive summary of the effects is the review paper of Martin Pall, USA, 2018 «Eight(8) well documented effects of EMF with 12-34 reviews”, http://peaceinspace.blogs.com/files/5g-emf-hazards–dr-martin-l.-pall–eu-emf2018-6-11». This paper also refers to 13 reviews on Therapeutic effects of EMF.
- Neurological/neuropsychiatric effects, № of REVIEWS: 25
- Wide spread endocrine effects, № of REVIEWS: 12
- Produce oxidative stress and free radical damage, № of REVIEWS: 19
- Attack the DNA, producing single strand and double strand breaks in cellular DNA and oxidized bases in cellular DNA, № of REVIEWS: 21
- Produce elevated levels of apoptosis events especially important in causing both neurodegenerative diseases and infertility, № of REVIEWS: 13
- Lower male and female fertility, lower sex hormones, lower libido and increased levels of spontaneous abortion and, attack the DNA in sperm cells,
№ of REVIEWS: 18 - Produce excessive intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i and excessive calcium signaling, № of REVIEWS: 15
- Cancer causation: Attack the cells to cause cancer. Such attacks are thought to act via 15 different mechanisms during cancer causation, № of REVIEWS: 35
Dr. Stella Canna Michaelidou
President of the Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Children’s Health
6/2/2019 & 17/3/2018

Extended Summary of phase 1
The Directorate and doctors of Archbishop Makarios III Hospital, taking into account the scientific documentation on the impact of wireless communication on children, and the concerns of the medical world, decided to implement the above project, adopting the Precautionary Principle. This initiative, that has started from the Pediatric Intensive Therapy Unit (PITU), comprises a first step towards “the development of the Archbishop Makarios III Hospital as an international model/pioneer hospital that applies the PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE, reducing the exposure of children to the radiation of wireless communication”.
It is based on the Nicosia Declaration of 2017 (http://paidi.com.cy/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Com-Pos-EN_-F.pdf) and a review of international literature. Please refer to the continuously updated list of bibliography (http://paidi.com.cy/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/REF_Com-Position-Feb21-FINAL.pdf). The rationale and the overall planning are given in the document “The campaign”.
The pilot application/research has been completed in the PITU, and has also been directly implemented in the Neonatal Intensive Therapy Unit (NITU), with a prospective extension to other units.
The main findings are:
- The passive exposure from the router was measured at distances of 0-10 m with Isometric and Directional antenna. Measurements confirmed that Wi-Fi creates levels of continuous and uninterrupted passive exposure, at levels well above (up to 2 order of magnitude higher) than the EUROPAEM Guidelines 2016 EUROPAEM Guidelines 2016 (20) (PDF) EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems and illnesses (researchgate.net).
- After disconnecting the Wi-Fi router, and promoting the use of wired connection, exposure levels have been reduced to levels below the above biological guiding criteria (<100 μW/m2).
- The active exposure of the user while downloading a video via Wi-Fi at a distance of 30cm, was clearly higher than the above biological criteria (up to two orders of magnitude higher) and even higher (up to three orders of magnitude) when the same video was downloaded using mobile data. This demonstrates that the use of Wi-Fi or mobile data creates a significant exposure for the user and bystanders. On the contrary, when the same video was downloaded via wired internet (ethernet), the exposure level was that of the background that existed in the unit at that specific point and time, clearly within the biological criteria. It is, therefore, self-evident that wired internet should be the only acceptable solution in the hospital wards.
- The situation in the Neonatal Unit, in which there was no signal or Wi-Fi transponder near the chambers, was excellent with very low exposure levels and clearly within the above biological criteria.
- The pilot campaign highlighted the problem of ignorance and underestimation of risks among the staff and parents, and the lack of knowledge of good practices for safe use of technology, reduction of children’s exposure and precaution. Therefore, the continuous awareness raising and training for staff, parents and children is absolutely necessary.
- It was found that Makarios Hospital has two basic prerequisites that can ensure the smooth implementation of the campaign and further extension to other units:
- an excellent wired networking system throughout the Hospital and
- the fact that, as shown from the preliminary measurements, the radiation from the existing antennae – base stations is relatively limited and does not substantially affect the interior radiation levels at least in the units under study. Determinant factor of the overall levels in these places was the use of Wi-Fi and mobile phones. Thus, by using wired internet and limiting the use of mobile phones and other wireless devices, it is possible to achieve safe levels of exposure in the chambers.
We are planning to expand the campaign to other units of the Hospital. But it is important to safeguard the existing antenna status quo and avoid adding new 3G/4G antennas. It is also important to protect Makarios III and other hospitals from the development of 5G. Specifically, the placement of 5G antennas near and especially in the surrounding area of the Hospital should be avoided. The needs for high-speed internet for medical applications can be met via wired fibre optic internet lines which can in addition provide faster, safer and uninterrupted connection. Mobile telephony, to the extent necessary, can continue to be served by the existing network.
The initiative and inspiration of the project was made collectively by the two intensivists of the PITU, Dr. A. Sergi and Dr. A. Kleanthous, with Dr. S.C. Michaelidou who coordinates and financially supported the project in memory of her husband Dr. Polys Michaelides. It was immediately embraced and supported by Dr. A. Neophytou, Executive Director of Makarios Hospital and Dr. A. Elia, Director of the Pediatric Clinic. Dr. Th. Metsis, Mechanical, Electrical and Environmental engineer, expert in electro-pollution was our advisor responsible for the measurements and their evaluation. His voluntary contribution is highly appreciated. The cooperation of: Mrs. T. Nikolaidou, Head of Nursing Personnel, doctors and staff of the PITU and the NITU, the teachers of the School of NAM III, Mrs M. Polemidiotou, responsible for the Patients’ Rights, and the members of the Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Children’s Health, is acknowledged. We are thankful to the Environmental and Health Trust for using their material.
Further information is available at www.paidi.com.cy, and the link <www.paidi.com.cy/campaign-at-archbishop-makarios-hospital-2019-emf-rf/>
Via email at: stellacm@spidernet.com.cy, Tel: +357 99431695
Dr. Stella Canna Michaelidou
President of the Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Children’s Health
30th June 2019_Revised Jan21
The poster of the campaign:
