By Asmau Ahmad
The Pioneer Chairman, Professor Osato Giwa-Osagie National Hospital, Abuja, has called for the establishment of more In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) centres in public hospitals to address the problem of infertility in Nigeria.
Professor Giwa-Osagie who made the call in Abuja in an interview with newsmen, said that it was important to establish more IVF centres in public hospitals in order to increase access for many Nigerians at a subsidised rate.
Giwa-Osagie stated that there were no fewer than 45 IVF centres in Nigeria with only five operational centres in public hospitals, while others were privately owned.
“The Federal and State Governments should encourage and fund the establishment of at least three IVF centres in public hospitals each in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.
“This would immediately increase the number of government-funded IVF centres to 18 rather than just having five at the moment,” he said.
The professor noted that IVF was a cutting edge of scientific management of infertility, saying that the technology had opened the door to other aspects of health diagnosis.
This, he said includes pre-natal diagnosis of sickle cell diseases, genetic abnormalities, and gender diagnosis among others, which could lead to early treatment through scientific knowledge.
He, however, decried the high cost of IVF services in the country. He said that the establishment of more centres at the public facilities would reduce the cost of services, thereby increasing access for people in need.
He stated that about 40 per cent of infertile cases could be treated by IVF, adding that the procedure could treat infertility in men with low sperm count, as well as cases of unexplained infertility.
