Lagos Tasks Providers of Fertility Services to Follow Standard

Martins Ifijeh

The Lagos State government has called on practitioners of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in the state to adhere strictly to standards to allow patients have access to quality services in reproductive health.

The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi who was represented by the Executive Secretary, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA, Dr. Abiola Idowu at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Association of Fertility and Reproductive Health (AFRH) in Lagos recently, disclosed that the state government was very passionate about ensuring all facilities offering reproductive services conform to minimum set standards as well as deploy the right and basic equipment to provide quality assisted reproductive health services.

He disclosed that Lagos State partnered AFRH to ensure adequate supervision of all facilities providing fertility services across the State adding that the State would put in extra efforts to remove the myths surrounding infertility and reproduction through effective campaign, education and sensitization.

He said: “This forum is meant to create a robust interface between fertility specialists, members of the AFRH and all stakeholders involved in fertility treatment as well as passing on necessary information to patients so that they do not associate with quacks.

“We had earlier inaugurated a seven-man committee early this year to monitor, regulate and enforce quality compliance in ART practice in the state.”

The commissioner emphasized that the constitution of the committee was in line with Lagos State government’s vision to ensure best practices in assisted fertility practice adding that the inauguration of the committee aimed at fostering professionalism, quality assurance as well as curbing quackery in the assisted fertility practice.

He explained that since the inauguration of the committee, series of meetings have been held to deliver on its mandate and ensure facilities have the right and basic equipment to provide best of services.

Abayomi advised members of the public to patronize facilities with HEFAMAA logo and interface with HEFAMAA’s portal known as E-Hefamaa which has one of its schedules dedicated to Assisted Reproductive Technology.

He assured that HEFAMAA in collaboration with the committee will do all it takes to ensure best practices in assisted reproductive and fertility practice.

“HEFAMAA is known for its tough stance against quackery and unprofessional practices, and in line with our mandates, sanity must return to ART practice.

“I therefore used this medium to urge all practitioners and health facilities involved in ART practice to register and ensure proper accreditation with HEFAMAA because it will not be business as usual”, He said.

In his remark, the President of AFRH, Dr. Ibrahim Wada who was represented by the First Vice-President of the Association, Dr. Preye Fiebai lauded the Lagos State Government for setting the pace in the regulation of ART practice in the country.

He noted that the inaugurated Committee along with its constitution would bring about outstanding achievements and work assiduously to reposition the practice of ART in the state.