Ray of hope for infertile couples as Muhimbili is set to open IVF clinic

Dar es Salaam: It is a joy for couples who for a long time have been unable to conceive due to infertility after Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, announced that by January next year, it will start offering fertility treatment to help couples who have been trying to get a baby but have failed.

The procedure is medically known as ‘in vitro fertilization’ (IVF), -- a technique used to help a woman get pregnant. Eggs are taken from the ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab, where they develop into embryos. Then a doctor puts the embryos into the uterus.

According to medical sources, when it comes to infertility, IVF may be an option if you or your partner have been diagnosed with endometriosis, low sperm counts, problems with the uterus or fallopian tubes, problems with ovulation, antibody problems that harm sperm or eggs, the inability of sperm to penetrate or survive in the cervical mucus, poor egg quality, genetic disease of mother or father or an unexplained fertility problem.

The plan by MNH to introduce IVF was revealed by the hospital’s Executive Director, Prof Laurence Museru during a press conference held in Dar es Salaam.

Furthermore, Prof Museru asserted that the hospital's management will announce the IVF treatment costs in the near future.

 "To begin with, we sent our staff to India to acquire knowledge on how the IVF treatment is being conducted," said Prof Museru.

He added that MNH has already begun the process of procuring essential medical supplies needed for IVF treatment. The MNH boss further said that the hospital was currently rehabilitating a building located at MNH-Upanga which will be used for the purpose.