The demographic decline in Greece is hitting its islands hard, with Lemnos and Agios Efstratios showing alarming signs of aging populations, falling birth rates, and shrinking services, tovima.com, has reported.
On Lemnos, home to about 16,000 people, only 100 births are registered annually — with just 20 occurring at the local hospital. Deaths are double the number of births. “We are a society that is aging without being renewed. For us here on the islands, this means something even more serious: the sustainability of our local society is at risk,” said Eleni Farmaki, pediatrician and president of the Lemnos Medical Association.
The island, once dotted with kindergartens and schools in nearly every village, now runs only 10 of each. Healthcare also suffers, with staff shortages and only about 50 of 70 doctors actively practicing.
Agios Efstratios, with just 180 residents, faces even more severe challenges. Most are over 60, and there are only 16 children. The kindergarten has been closed for three years, and only two children attend primary school. The island’s only doctors — two young rural physicians — will soon leave. Despite having telemedicine equipment, the system remains inactive due to lack of institutional support.
Experts stress the importance of education on reproductive health. One concern is the limited awareness among women about fertility decline after age 35. AMH testing is being promoted to help women understand their reproductive potential. A new fertility hotline is launching, and 50 free AMH tests will be offered to women on Lemnos. In Greece, infertility affects around 18% of couples trying to conceive.
Source: tovima.com
