In a first, Karnataka govt to start IVF centre at KMC Hubballi

Hubballi: Amid increasing infertility rates and high fertility treatment costs, the state government plans to set up Karnataka's first government in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) centre at the Karnataka Medical College & Research Institute (KMC-RI) in Hubballi in three months. Procedures in private clinics cost between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.

The clinics, to be established and run with corporate social responsibility funds, will offer IVF procedures free of cost to BPL patients. APL card holders can avail treatment at a 30 per cent rebate.

Delayed pregnancy, changing lifestyles and chemical contaminants in food are some factors behind the rise in infertility, says senior gynaecologist Dr Kasturi Donimath. “While IVF is an expensive treatment, the infertility rate is over 10 per cent. Poor people might need access to these procedures to have children,” she added.

According to KMC-RI director Dr S F Kammar, tenders for civil works and equipment have already been awarded. This clinic would function under the obstetrics and gynaecology department.

“This is the first such facility in a government hospital in the state and funding companies are also arranging specialised training for the staff,” he said. The institute has also requested the government to arrange medicines, prescribed during the procedure, free of cost. Medicines are not included under the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka scheme at the moment.

“We get 10 to 15 infertility cases in the outpatient department every day. Nearly 15 per cent of such couples need IVF treatment. The injections themselves cost around Rs 50,000. We have reproductive endocrinologists in the college and there is a requirement for an embryologist,” said Dr Ramalingappa Antaratani, professor at the obstetrics and gynaecology department at KMC-RI.

The state government had announced setting up IVF clinics at four government medical colleges in its 2023-24 Budget.

Medical Education Department director B L Sujatha Rathod said BMCRI, SABVMRI in Bengaluru and MMCRI in Mysuru are yet to get IVF centres.