The Centre should consider infertility a national health priority and include it under insurance, Dr Ajay Murdia, founder and chairman of Indira IVF, said, emphasising the need for investment in IVF infrastructure, especially in rural areas.

The stark financial divide and monetary burden of seeking IVF treatments in India render it inaccessible for many, Dr Murdia told PTI on the eve of the World IVF Day, observed on July 25.

He said the Ayushman Bharat scheme has greatly enhanced healthcare access for millions of Indians through financial protection and essential medical coverage. IVF treatment, if included in this scheme, could benefit millions of people by making essential services more accessible and affordable for those in need.

According to some estimates, about 27.5 million married couples who are actively trying to conceive are suffering from infertility. But only about 275,000 IVF cycles are performed every year, Murdia, the man behind India's one of the largest fertility chains said, citing available data.

"This silent epidemic, affecting one in six couples, is rapidly evolving into a national emergency with far-reaching consequences for India's societal structure and economic prospects," he stated during the exclusive interview to PTI.

The financial toll of this crisis is devastating, he rued.

The IVF treatments, costing up to Rs 2-3 lakh per cycle, are pushing countless families into debt. Across the country, there's a severe shortage of government-run IVF centres, effectively denying millions the chance of parenthood, Dr Murdia highlighted.

Many state-funded health centres still lack the necessary facilities to provide effective infertility treatment. Private sector initiatives, such as establishing more IVF clinics in rural areas and providing financing options for treatment, are critical to bridging this gap, he pointed out.

Diagnostic facilities and basic infertility investigations are limited in primary health centres (PHC)in rural regions, leading many to opt for traditional or religious practices instead of modern medical interventions, the Indira IVF founder said.

The infertility treatment landscape paints a stark picture of inequality, he said.

"This glaring healthcare gap is creating a dangerous divide where eventually only the wealthy can afford to build families," he stated.

"Around half of the country's 2,500 IVF centres operate without a structured framework, which can impact the consistency of treatment quality. Moreover, a substantial portion of treatments is concentrated in urban areas, leaving rural populations with limited access to these services and creating significant gaps in fertility care availability," Murdia said.

The inclusion of comprehensive insurance coverage for infertility treatments, particularly IVF, could alleviate the financial strain on couples and make these essential services more accessible, he said.

Insurance policies covering fertility treatments can bridge the financial divide, ensuring that all couples, regardless of their economic status, have an equal opportunity to build their families.

Although EMI options are available for infertility treatments, Indian corporates offer insurance for IVF treatments. The government should consider this too, Murdia said.

Currently, only CGHS employees and some other states provide IVF insurance, reimbursing Rs Rs 60,000-65,000 per cycle for up to three cycles, he said.

The government needs to revise these costs to make them more acceptable to IVF centres until there is widespread government infrastructure with IVF facilities across the country, he added.

According to NFHS, the fertility rate is 1.6 in urban areas and 2.1 in rural India. By 2050, India's total fertility rate (TFR) is projected to dip irreversibly to 1.29, far lower than the replacement rate of 2.1.

Investment in IVF infrastructure, especially in rural areas, is crucial, Dr Murdia underscored.

Training programmes for specialists need to be scaled up to meet the growing demand. Policy changes are imperative, including the nationwide inclusion of IVF under health schemes and offering of subsidised or free IVF services to make it accessible to all, he added.

Murdia pointed out that it is essential to act now because these measures need time to show their effectiveness.

India faces a future where millions are denied the basic human right of parenthood, and the nation grapples with an ageing population without adequate support systems, he said.

"It's time we prioritize infertility treatment as a fundamental right for India's social and economic future," he said.

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