For poor, childless couple, here's hope. For the first time, a public trust hospital, Wadia hospital, will be providing In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment.
Wadia's state-of-the-art IVF centre will open on Friday (today). It will provide the treatment at half of what private hospitals charge.
In private hospitals, IVF treatment can set one back by Rs 1-2 lakh.
IVF is the process by which eggs are removed from the ovaries and mixed with sperm in a laboratory culture dish. Fertilisation takes place in this dish. In vitro means 'in glass'. The fertilised egg (zygote) is then transferred to the patient's uterus.
Thousands of IVF babies have been born since the first in 1978.
In India, this treatment is not covered under the government medical scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojana (RGJAY).
RGJAY provides health cover to poor patients according to their income status. Those enrolled under the scheme can get free medical treatment up to Rs 2 lakh.
“In government schemes, we cover only life-threatening diseases. That's why IVF treatment is not included under RGJAY,”said Dr Deepak Sawant, minister for health.
In males, infertility can be caused by low sperm count due to endocrine problems, drugs, radiation or infection. In women, problems arise mainly from structural problems in the Fallopian tube or uterus, or problems in releasing eggs. Infertility may also be caused by the blockage of the Fallopian tube due to malformations. Mental stress is also a cause.
“This is good news for couples who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals. We are the first public trust hospital to offer this treatment to the poor and the middle class. Now the middle class can afford IVF treatment. One in every five families suffer from infertility problem,” said Dr Mini Bodhanwala, Wadia hospital.
“This is a state-of-the-art IVF centre where we have all advanced technology and equipment. We also create ova (eggs) bank where women can freeze their ova at the hospital's human egg bank, so that if they marry late in life, they can retrieve the ova to help them conceive,” she said.
IVF expert Dr Amit Patki also hailed the initiative by Wadia hospital. “It's a very good move. Nowadays, IVF treatment a major treatment. If it's offered in government hospitals, it will definitely help the poor.”
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