IVF: Access Bank gives succour to childless couples

BY EMEKA EJERE

The problem of childlessness in many Nigerian couples has been growing in recent times and is causing challenges in marriages. Although the technology has been available to avail couples assisted reproductive procedures, such as the In Vitro-Fertilisation, IVF, the cost is prohibitive which limiting access to most people.

Access Bank Plc last week took another step in showing its commitment to the total well being of women, providing financing options to enable them receive quality healthcare services. This time the bank entered into partnership with University College Hospital (UCH), IVF Centre to provide affordable fertility treatment for the public.

The bank said the partnership is supported by its ‘W’ initiative flagship health solution – Maternal Health Service Support (MHSS), designed to help families overcome financial challenges in their quest for parenthood and wellness.

Access Bank’s involvement in giving hope to couples facing challenges in having children of their own was first seen in March last year when Hygeia Health Management Organisation (HMO), in conjunction with the bank launched a scheme for In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment.

With this initiative, IVF, which is an expensive process that is unaffordable for many couples, will not be accessible to only the rich any more. Access bank said the partnership with UCH IVF Centre will help many people to find a way to enable them achieve results they desire.

On the collaboration with UCH IVF Centre, Victor Etuokwu, executive director, retail banking division at Access Bank said the intention of the bank is to show its commitment to the total wellbeing of women and couples generally.

“One of the challenges faced by individuals and couples trying assisted reproductive conception is the high costs involved. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 3 on global health and well-being for all, we believe that this partnership will ease the burden of affordability and increase accessibility to quality fertility treatments.

“We are proud to have this laudable partnership with a renowned health institution such as the UCH. Hundreds of families have benefited from the MHSS financing solution in accessing quality fertility and maternal health treatments and we have recorded scores of babies birthed from this scheme,” Etuokwu said.

Etuokwu also noted that the MHSS is not limited to fertility treatments as natal support and other specialised procedures, such as hysterectomy (uterus removal), myomectomy (fibroid removal), dental, bariatric (weight loss), orthopedic treatments are also covered.

Women interested in fertility treatments are directed to visit the UCH IVF Centre for consultations and access financial support from the bank through their service touch points.

While it is not everybody that experiences difficulty in getting pregnant that requires IVF procedure to have a baby, experts always advise that it makes sense for all couples who have struggled to get pregnant for upward of one year to subject themselves to clinical investigations without any further delay, preferably both wife and husband.

And for couples who are 35 or older, fertility doctors said it is advisable that such couples do not wait for up to a year before carrying out investigations because age is not on their side. After trying to get pregnant for six months without success, IVF doctors say such couples should seek help so as not to waste more time as delay can be dangerous.

Available data show that about 20% of Nigerian couples are involuntarily childless and cannot fulfill their dream of a child of their own. Experts believe that the percentage may be even higher as the 20% prevalence of infertility in Nigeria is for couples that are officially married.

Couples facing infertility often try many different fertility boosting methods delivered by untrained providers, risking their life and getting exploited in different ways. This is because of relatively few reputable treatment centres that are available and the very high cost of funding these treatments.

With one cycle of IVF treatments costing up to N1.5 million, the financing opportunities launched by Hygeia HMO are targeted at making these treatments more accessible to couples and women trying to conceive. According to the HMO, the financing will cover post investigation, technical fees, drugs, donor eggs and donor sperm cells as required in each case. This reduces the financial burden on the beneficiaries.

Speaking on the initiative and how to access it, ObinnaUkachukwu, head of business development and strategy at Hygeia HMO had stated: “Hygeia HMO identifies unique healthcare problems in Nigeria and develops solutions to solve them.

“This is why we have a wide range of personal and family healthcare plans available to everyone across the different socio-economic strata of the society. To take advantage of the IVF financing, interested clients send a request to Hygeia HMO and they receive direct information including the partner clinics available and requirements of Access Bank.

“This reduces the financial burden and with Hygeia HMO providing in-house doctors to guide clients through the process, there is also knowledgeable, emotional support by default. Once confirmed, Access Bank will disburse funds to eligible clients within 72 hours and treatments can start once Hygeia HMO receives the funds.”

On who is eligible to access the financing opportunities provided by the scheme, head of corporate affairs at Access Bank, Mr. Abdul Imoyo, told Busness Hallmark in a telephone interview that the scheme is open to every woman, whether a customer of the bank or not.

“We’ve been on it for about three years now and it has yielded impressive results”, he said, adding “Quite a good number of children have been birthed as a result of the initiative.”

In a self-appraisal, the health insurer notes “Hygeia HMO as Nigeria’s leading health insurer is delighted to be able to expand access to its HyMama IVF plan through the financing arrangement with Access Bank”.

In recent times, the acceptance of assisted reproductive techniques by more families has increased their chances of conceiving. Having a fertility treatment is quite expensive for even middle-class families in Nigeria and in some cases, families may have to go through multiple treatments before getting their desired result which may lead to cash strapped situations if not properly planned for.

Also, the rising costs attached with having a successful fertility treatment such as IVF and ICS stem from the need to undergo multiple cycles depending on the outcome.

In response to this plight and to ease the financial burden on families, Access Bank offers an MHSS loan under the W Initiative that covers medical procedures (local and international) for women.

According to Access Bank, MHSS has financed more than 102 fertility-related procedures and recorded successful births of more than 50 healthy babies to thankful families.

In addition to fertility treatments and natal support (local and International), MHSS also takes care of other specialized cases like hysterectomy, myomectomy, dental, orthopedic, bariatric (weight loss procedures) among others.