Experts seek improved IVF treatment, regulation, professionalism

Medical experts are advocating for improvements in treatment offered for In-vitro fertilization (IVF) in Nigeria, even as the country seems to be recording better awareness that is fuelling increase in patronage.

In Nigeria, there are no specific regulatory frameworks for IVF, and it has been suggested that clinics conduct services without clearly defined standards or protocols.

Experts say there is need to provide a robust and acceptable standard/ code of practice policy document, the lack of which is seen to have constituted a threat to standards and professionalism of service delivery.

“The average cost of regular IVF treatment is about N1.5 to N3.5 million depending on kind of services. We want to strategize IVF within Nigeria and make the price relevant instead of people going abroad for the same treatment,” said Oladapo Ashiru, managing director and CEO, Medical Art Centre (MART Clinics) in a presentation on ‘price fixing in assisted reproductive technology’ (A.R.T) at the Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health (AFRH), annual international scientific conference held in Lagos on September 27.

Ashiru and other experts shared their views at the conference, which is now in its eighth year, and had the theme ‘New Frontiers in Reproductive Technology’, and purported to be one of the most interesting things happening within the reproductive health sector. Ashiru, averred that some facilities offer poor services at lower costs, in order to get patients’ traffic and this is why there is a need to put strict regulations in place. Nigeria, according to him, has a very big task ahead in improving IVF treatment and standard.

He also noted that there has been a surge in Diaspora patients seeking IVF treatment in Nigeria over the past five years, due to the perceived increase in success as well as comparable cost.

“The advances in ART have ushered in new hope, and a wide range of procedures addressing many of the causes of infertility are now available,” Ashiru said.

Infertility is a significant health issue, and according to the World Health Organisation, it affects up to 10.5 per cent of couples of reproductive age group globally.

Studies suggest that the prevalence of infertility is much higher in Nigerians compared to the rest of the world; there are about 12 million infertile persons in Nigeria, which is almost 10 per cent of the total population.

Abayomi Ajayi, local organising committee chairman AFRH while delivering a speech at the conference, said “Nigeria has relatively high infertility rate of about 5.59 births per woman due to social and cultural reason, there is still room for more awareness as patients seek treatment very late,”

“The plan is based on inputs from the members of our association as a commitment to actively raising the quality of professionalism. It is my wish that the outcome of this conference will provide benefits both to our and patients care,” Ajayi said.

The conference had participants from different facets of medicine in Nigeria and also from United Kingdom, United States, Asia, Europe and other African countries which include obstetricians, gynaecologists, surgeons, embryologists, ultra-sonographers, health regulators as well as other support service industries.

Also speaking at the conference, Akinkunmi Amode represented by Olufemi Onanuga, Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care for Lagos State said, “ART is supported to put smiles on the faces of couples with challenges of conception. It is our duty to take responsibility as a government, we are ready to collaborate and partner with facilities to ensure the enforcement of law against quack practitioners.”

Yutaka Osuga, a professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tokyo, Japan, also noted that “IVF in Africa is improving. The quality of IVF treatment in Nigeria is growing and the good part is that those that take the treatment here are much younger than Asian countries.

“I am here to help the development of ART technologies in Nigeria and the whole of Africa,” he said.

ANTHONIA OBOKOH