This article appears in the following ESHRE Monographs issue: ESHRE Special Task Force on 'Developing Countries and Infertility' [View the issue table of contents]
Infertility in developing countries: funding the project
1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
2 Suzanne Mubarak Regional Center for Women's Health and Development, Alexandria, Egypt
3 Correspondence address. E-mail: hnsallam{at}link.net
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Abstract |
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Assisting developing countries in establishing infertility services is not a uniform exercise and depends on the stage of development of each country. Three levels of assistance are suggested: providing basic (level 1), advanced (level 2) or tertiary referral infertility services (level 3). At each of these levels, four activities are needed: equipping the clinics, training the staff, educating the public and running the services. Basic (level 1) clinics can be equipped by international donors, whereas level 2 and 3 clinics can be funded through a partnership between an international scientific body (WHO, ESHRE, etc.) and an international bank (World Bank, African Development Bank, etc.). Training of the medical and paramedical staff should be the responsibility of the non-profit organizations (NPOs) preferably in regional training centers. An awareness campaign is necessary to educate the public and inform them of the range of treatment available in their community and can also be funded by NPOs. Finally, the running cost of the services including the staff salaries, the cost of the investigations and medication should be the responsibility of the local government, although in many countries, this has to come from out of pocket payments.
Keywords: funding; developing countries; low-cost IVF; non-profit organization; infertility