In an attempt to fight against stigmatisation, change mindset, the influence of national policies on fertility and building fertility care capacity in Nigeria, Fertility specialty and stakeholders has said that there is a need to create awareness and educate the general public about In vitro fertilisation (IVF) and fertility treatments.
These experts spoke recently during a public enlightening programme organised by the Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health (AFRH) inaugural fertility the forum themed ‘Fertility Treatment – Facts not Fiction’.
The forum was a corporate social responsibility of AFRH to give opportunity for couples with fertility challenges to speak up on the difficulty with accessing IVF treatment and getting the best treatment.
“The major problem that infertile couples have is lack of access to proper treatment and lack of access to knowledge about their condition,” said Faye Iketubosin, a consultant Obstetrician/gynaecologist and fertility specialist with George’s memorial medical centre in Lagos.
Iketubosin said the association was concerned about the plethora of cases where infertile couples fall victim of quackery. “In this country, we have had an explosion of fertility practitioners, orthodox and unorthodox, recognized and unrecognized, and there are a lot of myths that go with infertility.
Meanwhile according to the World health organisation (WHO) men infertility contributes to more than half of all cases of global childlessness, infertility remains a woman’s social burden.
“The most difficult part of managing IVF is failure, nobody will categorically tell you that its 100 percent,” said Preye Fiebai, Vice president of AFRH while responding to concerns raised by a woman who complained that she had carried out IVF treatment three times in different facilities without success.
Fiebai explained that in the progress of treatment, the first is to detect the issues causing infertility noting that once the cause is identified, and then the patient can start by attempting treatment.
However to influence of national policies on fertility and building fertility care capacity, Lagos State Government has restated its commitment to ensuring that practitioners of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in the State adhere strictly to standards to allow patients have access to quality services in reproductive health.
“the State Government partnered AFRH to ensure adequate supervision of all facilities providing fertility services across the State adding that the State would put in extra efforts to remove the myths surrounding infertility and reproduction through the effective campaign, education, and sensitization,” said Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Health, represented by Abiola Idowu, executive secretary, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA).
Abayomi noted that the state government earlier in the year inaugurated a seven-man committee to monitor, regulate and enforce quality compliance in Assisted Reproductive Technology practice in the state.
“In collaboration with the committee, HEFAMAA would ensure the best practices in assisted reproductive and fertility practice,” he said.
HEFAMAA is known for its tough stance against quackery and unprofessional practices, and in line with our mandates, sanity must return to ART practice.
“I urge all practitioners and health facilities involved in ART practice to register and ensure proper accreditation with HEFAMAA because it will not be business as usual,” said Abayomi.
