Telangana Govt to hold fertility camps across State

Hyderabad: With an aim to come to the rescue of childless families who are made to spend lakhs in private fertility centres, the TRS government has come forward to organise fertility camps across the State. According to officials, the government has taken a decision to provide relief to childless families.

Authorities would take up camps to identify such couples who are married and have no children. First, the couple are to be given counselling; later they will be given suggestions. At the preliminary stage, authorities will be conducting tests and if there is no result, the couples will be sent to fertility centres in teaching hospitals.

Recently, during his visit to Gandhi Hospital, Health Minister T Harish Rao had said that fertility centres for childless couples would be started in Gandhi, Petlaburj Maternity Hospital and MGM Warangal Hospital within two months. The hospitals would also have a fertility centre for childless couple. Apart from ICU, there would be a facility of IVF and others, said a senior official.

The minister had said that till now there was no such facility in government hospitals, but now the three hospitals would have fertility centres. "Poor couples are spending lakhs in private fertility centres, they can now avail the services on expert advice of professionals in Gandhi Hospital," said Rao. The official added, it has come to the notice of the government that some private agencies have been charging exorbitantly childless couples.

The hapless couples sometimes fall prey to fake fertility centres and end up paying hefty fee. With the government starting this service, families, particularly the poor, can get the service free, he said. There will be special teams to monitor cases by organising camps in villages, the official added.