BURUNDI— CEO of Merck Foundation, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, and Burundi’s First Lady, Madam Angeline Ndayishimiye have inaugurated the first public In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) center in the country’s capital.
This milestone was achieved through the close collaboration between Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, and the office of Burundi’s First Lady, as part of the foundation’s continent-wide campaign “More than a Mother” which was launched in 2020.
As part of this partnership, the Merck Foundation provided 51 scholarships to local doctors specializing in critical and underserved areas such as diabetes, endocrinology, preventative cardiovascular medicine, oncology, fertility & embryology, sexual & reproductive health care, acute care, and respiratory care.
Dr. Rasha Kelej expressed her appreciation for the efforts of the First Lady, who serves as the ambassador of the campaign, in promoting healthcare, combating infertility stigma, and supporting girls’ education in Burundi.
She stated, “I am very proud to be here today to celebrate such an outstanding milestone. It is a historic moment to train the first IVF and fertility care team in Burundi to serve at the first public IVF center established by my dear sister, the Burundi First Lady.”
She further emphasized that this achievement would significantly enhance couples’ access to quality and equitable fertility care, thereby breaking the stigma surrounding infertility for women and couples.
Senator Rasha also recognized the impact of Merck Foundation’s One Media campaign in addressing the infertility crisis in Africa.
She stated, “Today, we are sharing with all audiences, both in person and online, the impact of our programs that aim to transform patient care, build healthcare and media capacity, break the stigma of infertility, empower women, and support girls’ education in Burundi and the rest of Africa.”
Madam Angeline Ndayishimiye, Burundi’s First Lady, expressed her satisfaction with the fruitful collaboration between the government and the Merck Foundation over the past three years.
She highlighted the transformation of patient care in the country’s public sector through the provision of specialized training to the first specialists in various fields.
The case for IVF in Africa’s emerging fertility crisis
According to the 2019 report on IVF treatment in Africa by Facts, Views & Vision in Obgyn, infertility is a widespread issue.
It is particularly prevalent in low-resource countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa, where infection-related tubal damage is the primary cause of infertility in the region.
Furthermore, it is estimated that over 180 million couples in developing countries suffer from primary or secondary infertility.
In many African countries, the social stigma associated with childlessness results in stigmatization, isolation, and ostracization by both the immediate family and the local community.
Moreover, the disparity between the developed and developing world is becoming increasingly apparent due to differences in access to infertility care and variations in socio-cultural values concerning procreation and childlessness.
The report also indicates that the introduction of affordable Assisted Reproductive Treatment services, such as IVF, is the solution for most Africans struggling with unintended childlessness.
The main challenge lies in reducing the fixed and operational costs of an IVF laboratory, the expenses associated with diagnostic procedures used in infertility evaluations, as well as the costs of ovarian stimulation medication and equipment setup.
However, despite the availability of all necessary technologies and services, the report highlights that the greatest obstacle to low-cost ART is the lack of adequately trained personnel.
For accessible infertility treatment to be successfully implemented, certain sociocultural and economic prerequisites must be met, and governments need to be convinced to support their introduction.
At the heart of this lies the integration of infertility, contraceptive, and maternal health services within public healthcare structures.
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