For aspiring parents who are having trouble conceiving and are hoping to
go for some form of fertility treatment, it is often not good news to
them considering the high cost of things especially in this recession
era.
Being able to afford fertility treatments would have fast become a
distant dream, making their hopes of one day holding their baby in their
arms, taking her to school or dropping him off with grandparents become
a fading dream.
For example, the cost of in vitro fertilisation (IVF)
in Lagos starts from one million Naira. This is exclusive of drugs and
tests, and depends on how complicated the case is or if surgery is
needed. Sometimes, in order to have a successful pregnancy, couples
undergoing IVF often need multiple cycles, racking up the costs.
Worldwide, infertility is generally
quoted as occurring in 8-12 per cent of couples. In Nigeria, the
prevalence of infertility is very high ranging from 20-46 per cent. With
the recent economic recession in Nigeria, IVF and other certified
treatment methods have become much more expensive for couples to afford.
The Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation
appeared as a ray of hope for such couples just in the nick of time. In
2016, the foundation partnered with several medical institutions to
provide fertility grants to couples dealing with the financial strain of
fertility treatments. In addition to the financial help, the foundation
also offered emotional support and counseling for the applicants. The
worth of this grant in the current economic climate cannot be
quantified, especially because paying for these treatments
out-of-pocket, with the requisite drugs and tests needed could be
astronomically expensive.
After reviewing the scores of
applications that came within the year, a total of 28 couples were
selected and given fertility grants. They are all currently in different
stages of treatment in several of the partner institutions enjoying not
just treatment but also the care that they require and deserve in such
trying times.
The Foundation has clinical partners
that have been carefully selected and are highly skilled professionals
that are amongst the best in the country. They deliver world-class
services that can almost rival the ones offered overseas and so,
recipients of the grants are in safe hands.
It is the Foundation’s commitment to the
joy and fulfillment of the parenthood dreams of couples that sets it
apart. The driving force is not the number of the people who they are
able to help or the statistics of pregnancy return rate, but the smiles,
joy and blessing that pregnancy, childbirth and being responsible for
another life brings to the couple. As long as they can help one couple
achieve this dream, they consider what they do worth doing and will
continue to do so with all vigour and excitement.
They are looking to have this joy reach many more people in 2017 and would be happy to have you partner with them in doing so. You can log on to www.ibidunniighodalofoundation.org to find out ways you can help someone share in this joy.
by Mary Ekah
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