By IANS
New Delhi : Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Thursday inaugurated a test tube baby centre at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here. This is country’s first such centre in any government-run institution.
The test tube baby centre medically known as In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) centre will help tens of thousands of women suffering from infertility to conceive at “an affordable price”.
“Nearly eight percent of couples in India suffer from infertility problem and this centre will certainly help them in getting a baby,” Ramadoss said after inaugurating the centre.
“This is the first IVF centre in the public sector and another milestone for the prestigious AIIMS,” he added.
He said the centre would also do research in areas like embryonic cell and stem cell therapy.
Suneeta Mittal, head of the department of gynaenecology, heads the centre.
“This is an important facility at AIIMS, which will not only help the poor people of the country who suffer from infertility but also serve as a platform for comprehensive research in the field,” she said.
While the major reasons of infertility in males are decreased sperm counts and abnormal sperms, in females blocked fallopian tubes, inability to ovulate and abnormalities in the genital tract are the major reasons for it.
“There has been a great need to develop a facility for assisted reproductive technique especially for the poor. The IVF facility is available in the private sector but is not within the reach of the common man due to its high cost.
“There is also a great need of research in this field to improve pregnancy rates and improve cost-effectiveness,” Mittal added.
Ramadoss said AIIMS would soon get a dedicated child and maternity building.
“We will take all necessary effort to make AIIMS an institute like Harvard University and the Johns Hopkins Hospitals in the US,” he added.