LAGOS
No fewer than 12 million Nigerians suffer from infertility and are desperate for meaningful treatment, the Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health (AFRH) said on Sunday.
"There are about 12 million infertile persons in Nigeria which is almost 10 percent of the country's total population," Tayo Abiara, AFRH spokesman, said in a statement ahead of the body's annual conference slated for September.
“To this group of people, any form of access to effective treatment is priority. It is their valid or legitimate right in a democratic society like ours to have this right to life’s treatment."
Abiara said cultural stigma associated with childishness makes the figure scarier and deserving better attention by stakeholders in the health sector.
“The Nigerian cultural background of social isolation of infertile couples has made Assisted Reproductive Technology practice in Nigeria relevant. Children are so important that childlessness is seen as a curse to the family and community," the statement added.
The conference to be held in September - themed Improving Pregnancy Rates of In Vitro Fertilization in Africa (IVF) – is expected to shed more light on the causes and available treatment of infertility, according to the statement.
At least 500 delegates are expected at the conference, while topics to be tackled include "ethics in IVF, new technologies in IVF, low cost IVF in Nigeria and role of reproductive surgery and quality control."
“Our vision is geared towards the enhancement of quality education service in reproductive health education, with emphasis on fertility services," the statement added.
“The association seeks to create an awareness among all persons within Nigeria, Africa and abroad, of the importance of reproductive health."
By Rafiu Ajakaye
www.aa.com.tr/en
