Karnataka government to set up IVF clinics amid growing demand for fertility treatments
Bengaluru: Amid a concerning rise in infertility rates and an increasing demand for medically assisted reproductive services, the Karnataka government has reportedly begun efforts to establish government-run in-vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics across the state.
In the 2023-2024 budget, an allocation of Rs 6 crore was announced to set up four IVF clinics. The Bengaluru unit will be located at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Institute (ABVMCRI), formerly known as Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute, as reported by Deccan Herald.
The other clinics will be situated at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi (under a CSR initiative), Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, and the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalaburagi.
“We are calling for tenders and the unit should be set up in the next six months. Gynaecologists, urologists and other specialists will be provided by our college and hospital,” DH quoted Dr Manoj Kumar H.V., director and dean of ABVMCRI, as saying.
Infertility rate has gone up by at least 20 percent to 30 percent in the last five years. Male infertility has also seen a significant rise, added the report.
Dr Sharanprakash Patil, Minister for Medical Education, explained that they are establishing these clinic due to high demand. “This initiative does not come under Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK), so we cannot set up units everywhere. We are yet to decide on the rates to be charged for the procedure,” DH quoted Patil as saying.
Meanwhile, it is expected that the rates will be significantly cheaper than private clinics. Currently, the cost for a single IVF cycle at private establishments ranges from Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh, with no coverage from health insurance companies.
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V.D. Satheesan elected as new Chief Minister of Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Celebrations erupted across Kerala on Thursday after V D Satheesan was selected by the Congress High Command as the next Chief Minister of the state.
Satheesan was at the Contonment House in Thiruvananthapuram, the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition, when AICC leaders announced it in New Delhi.
Soon after the announcement, jubilant Satheesan supporters burst firecrackers and distributed sweets in several parts of the state.
Paravur in Ernakulam district, the Assembly constituency he has represented since 2001, witnessed large-scale celebrations.
Satheesan was widely seen as the frontrunner for the post, with UDF allies also backing his candidature during the selection process.
As the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assembly, he led the UDF both inside and outside the House.
Apart from Satheesan, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala and Congress MP K C Venugopal were also considered for the post.
