Fertility Experts Seek Wider Access Ahead Abuja Conference

By Aderogba George

Fertility and reproductive health experts have called for wider access to affordable fertility treatment for ordinary Nigerians, alongside stronger laws to check surrogacy abuses and “baby factory” cases.

The experts spoke on Thursday at a news conference held by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 2nd African Federation of Fertility Societies (AFFS) and 16th Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health (AFRH).

It is set for Abuja from Sept. 24 to Sept. 26, with the theme “Fertility Frontiers: Global Innovations and Advances in Human Reproduction”.

AFRH President Prof. Preye Fiebai attributed the high cost of fertility treatment largely to Nigeria’s reliance on imported drugs and materials, with local production still limited in spite of ongoing efforts in Abuja and through the Institute of Medical Sciences in Africa.

He also linked high costs to poor reporting of fertility procedures, which leaves Nigeria’s market size underappreciated by international pharmaceutical and medtech firms.

“If Nigeria performs 5,000 IVF cycles while another country performs 50,000, a company is more likely to prioritise that other market,” he said, urging practitioners to improve reporting to attract investment.

Fiebai said IVF remains considerably cheaper in Nigeria than in many other countries, driving “reverse medical tourism” among diaspora Nigerians and foreigners.

He called on government, insurers and other stakeholders to support patients who cannot afford treatment, saying universal healthcare depends on fair access for everyone.

Fiebai said the committee has also engaged the National Assembly since 2023 on a bill to regulate Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), with “considerable progress” made.

Proper regulation, he said, would protect the public, practitioners and: most importantly children born through assisted reproduction, whose rights are sometimes overlooked.

He noted that fertility practice is currently regulated at both state and federal levels; hospitals fall under state and FCT oversight, while practitioners answer to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

“Lagos State, working with AFRH, already has ART regulations in place, and he urged other states to adopt a similar framework rather than start from scratch”.

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LOC Chairman, Dr Ibrahim Wada said Nigeria’s growing profile in fertility medical tourism reflects its advancing capacity in the field.

He encouraged more Nigerians to consider fertility preservation as safe and affordable, especially for those delaying childbearing or facing illness or treatment that could affect fertility.

“Nigeria has come of age in terms of helping citizens who face fertility challenges,” he said.

AFFS President Dr Paul Le Roux, joining virtually from South Africa, called the conference “the realisation of a dream” for the federation, formed six years ago to unite fertility professionals across the continent.

“Building on an earlier gathering in Tunisia, the conference has grown and now draws interest from professionals in America and Europe”.

Le Roux said it would help address Africa’s infertility burden and stressed the need for continued training, public support and government backing for laws that improve access to treatment.

“We need the support of politicians and governments to ensure that the laws in our countries are appropriate,” he said.

Earlier, LOC co-chair, Dr Sunday Onuh said the conference would showcase how far fertility science has advanced in Africa, adding that misconceptions about local care quality are often unfounded.

He cited a patient who, discouraged from seeing a doctor in Nigeria, travelled to London; only to meet the same doctor there and pay more for the same care.

The scientific programme, he said, is designed for both young and experienced practitioners, covering past developments, current practices and emerging innovations

Onuh added that involvement from the European Society, American Society and International Federation underscored the conference’s global significance, and urged the media to report the conference accurately. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade