Bukola Afeni
The CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr Rasha Kelej has reteirated the commitment of the body towards reducing infertility issues among couples in Africa and Asia.
She stated this at the 3rd Annual World Infertility Awareness Summit online conference to mark the World Infertility Day celebration.
According to her expectant couples should engage in regular exercise and consume healthy food .
“We want to reverse the clock by ensuring that intending mothers and fathers.are fully informed about reproductive health issues in their communities”, she said.
Dr Kelej noted that the Foundation is also partnering with media and other partners to spread information about issues of infertility in undeserved communities.
” We are supporting the media to share information to couples so as to be fully informed about preventive measures they can take regarding Infertility “, she said.
The CEO of Merck Foundation further disclosed that every man is more than a father and every woman is more than a mother .
“The cause of fertility can be a man factor or a womanfactor , it is a 50-50 matter . The entire blame should not be on woman.
Infertility is a condition that can be prevented and treated , it is not a stigma”, she noted.
The President of the Africa Reproductive Care Society Professor Oladapo Ashiru made an urgent call for action from government, companies , and organizations to make fertility care a priority.
He added that there should be more advocacy about infertility in all part of the world.
He urged young adults and couples to go for fertility test.
“Early detention is one of the ways to get treated.Expectant mothers should also take preventive measures , such as avoiding driving barefooted, as it leads to miscarriage. the chemical on the rubber from car releases a harmful
chemical that affects the embryo.
He further stressed that low access to care makes increasing the population hard , which affects economic growth , as population is decreasing gradually because of infertility.
“Having a baby is a human rights issue and life is meaningless if people cannot access health care center. Government should ensure that health care services is affordable and accessible to all citizens”, he said.
The President also reiterated that the root causes of infertility should be detected and treated appropriately.
“Some causes of infertility could be through toxic chemicals ,others could be occupational hazard or inhalation of environment chemical substance”.
A Gynacologist Obsterician, and FIV President Senegal,Dr Moustapha Thiam said the issue of associating infertility with stigma need to be addressed.
He further noted that lack of awareness is one of the major factors responsible for infertility .
Thiam disclosed that Africa women are prone to fibroid and other diseases that may delay childbirth among couples.
“Previously we have low fertility centres which made it difficult to get adequate treatment in our country. We also had few embryologist.
Recently more fertility centers have been established and indigenes are trained on scholarship as embryologist, which enabled us have more trained experts”.
“Quality care need to be available, and affordable to patients, thanks to Merck foundation, more fertility centers have been built , and we are reducing infertility in the Senegal territory”.
