Saturday, October 11, 2025 - A Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL), Prof. Christian Makwe, has urged the government to subsidise the cost of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) to promote universal access to fertility care.
Speaking at the 20th Yearly Scientific Conference and
Gathering of CMUL held in Lagos, Makwe also called on government to establish
robust legislative frameworks and regulatory guidelines for all forms of
Assisted Reproductive Technology.
He stressed the need to integrate fertility care into
existing reproductive health services and expand the National Health Insurance
Scheme to protect vulnerable populations from catastrophic out-of-pocket
expenses.
With the theme “Women’s Reproductive Health: Navigating the
Labyrinth with Silent Heroes,” the conference highlighted the importance of
collaboration among healthcare providers to achieve economies of scale. Makwe
noted that continuous professional development in ART should be encouraged to
improve reproductive outcomes.
He further advised healthcare providers to prioritize
education and counselling on sexual and reproductive health and rights; minimize
unnecessary pelvic surgeries and invasive procedures; adhere strictly to
aseptic techniques during labour and delivery; and ensure prudent use of
prophylactic antibiotics.
To couples, the don advised that infertility prevention
should be prioritized through healthy lifestyle choices, the use of barrier
contraceptives, comprehensive sexual health education and counselling, timely
diagnosis and effective management of sexually transmitted infections, and the
avoidance of unsafe abortions and peri-partum infections.
Emphasizing the
importance of women’s health, he observed that infertility remains one of the
most neglected aspects of reproductive health.
“In our environment, when a couple is infertile, the
emphasis is usually on the female,” he said. “But this lecture has enlightened
us that 50 percent of infertility cases are caused by male factors and 50
percent by female factors. We have also learnt that infertile couples can be
helped through assisted reproductive techniques.”
Also speaking, the Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Prof.
Olufemi Fasanmade, said the faculty remains the largest in the College of
Medicine.
“We are one of the first faculties to have a separate
conference from the scientific one. Women’s health is prioritized and is second
only to child health. We know a child cannot exist without the mother,” he
said.
“Today, we looked at how to bring smiles to the homes of people who have been suffering and anguishing over infertility — what is often referred to locally as barrenness. Infertility can be overcome through appropriate technology, especially if the person presents early,” he added.
0 Comments