 |
| From the slides that featured the milestones achieved by the IVF Clinic in Kilinochchi. |
A special review meeting on the progress and essential requirements of the completely free In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) service that has been launched at the Kilinochchi District General Hospital the first such service in the history of Sri Lanka’s state health sector, was held this evening - on Wednesday, 25 June at the Governor’s Secretariat under the chairmanship of Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.
At the outset of the discussion, the Governor expressed his special appreciation and gratitude for initiating a fully free IVF service at a government hospital for the first time in Sri Lanka. He noted that this service has now become a vital necessity for the region.
Many people have had to spend several hundred thousand rupees to undergo IVF treatment either abroad or in private hospitals. As a result, such treatment had remained beyond the reach of low-income families. He highlighted that this service has now been successfully launched at the Women’s Care Specialty Centre of the Kilinochchi District General Hospital under the guidance of Professor S. Raguraman, making it a significant blessing for those in need.
The Governor also conveyed his heartfelt thanks to Professor Raguraman, the Hospital Director and the entire medical team, and emphasized the importance of continuing this valuable initiative successfully without interruption. Professor Raguraman then provided a detailed briefing on the current status of the project and its future requirements.
The meeting extensively examined four key requirements necessary to achieve the target of conducting 10 to 15 IVF treatment cycles per month and ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of the service.
At present, the service is supported by two nursing officers, one coordinator, and one fertility assistant. To expand the service, the need to appoint one medical officer for ovum retrieval procedures conducted twice a month, one additional nursing officer to assist the anesthetist and two health assistants for operating theatre preparations was highlighted. The Governor provided relevant instructions on how these arrangements could be made.
The cost of laboratory investigations and medical consumables for a single patient is estimated at approximately LKR 130,000, while ovarian stimulation medications cost around LKR 120,000. Thus, the total cost per patient amounts to about LKR 250,000. To provide treatment for up to 15 patients per month, approximately LKR 4 million is required.
The discussion also focused on funding allocations, solutions to procurement related challenges, and mechanisms for transparently managing donations through the hospital’s Patient Welfare Society.
As 4 to 6 medical officers are required to travel from Jaffna to Kilinochchi approximately 10 to 12 times each month, the need to provide them with safe transportation facilities was brought to the Governor’s attention. Secretary to the Ministry of Health assured that arrangements would be made immediately.
The meeting also discussed possibilities for the rapid procurement of various laboratory equipment required on a priority basis to ensure uninterrupted treatment services.
During the discussion, the Governor instructed relevant officials to take immediate action to provide all necessary administrative and infrastructure facilities required to ensure the continued delivery of this historic medical service to the people of the Northern Province.
The high level meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province, the Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Health - Northern Province, the Deputy Chief Secretary (Administration), Regional Directors of Health Services - Jaffna and Kilinochchi, the Hospital Director of Kilinochchi District General Hospital, the Professor of Family Health Medicine, accountants, and several other officials.
Post a Comment