Karnataka to set up IVF Clinics at 4 Govt Medical Colleges
Karnataka Govt to Launch Low-Cost IVF Clinics
Bengaluru: In response to the growing demand for assisted reproductive technologies, the Karnataka government has initiated plans to establish government-run in-vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics across the state. An allocation of Rs 6 crore has been earmarked in the 2023-24 budget to set up four such clinics.
The project was originally conceptualized in 2022 by the then Health Minister, Dr. M.C. Sudhakar. While the Bengaluru unit was initially proposed to be housed within Vani Vilas Hospital, it will now be established at the Atal Behari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Institute (ABVMCRI), formerly Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute.
Medical Dialogues had previously reported that, concerned about the increasing costs associated with private IVF treatment, the Karnataka government is mulling launching IVF (in vitro fertilization) clinics in government hospitals. This will be considered the first time that an IVF clinic will be installed in government hospitals if the project gets finalised.
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The other three clinics are set to come up at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubballi, under a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute in Mysuru, and Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences in Kalaburagi.
Dr Manoj Kumar H V, director and dean of ABVMCRI, said, “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. We are currently calling for tenders,” reports Deccan Herald.
The government aims to offer IVF treatments at rates significantly lower than private clinics. Currently, IVF treatment in private clinics ranges between ₹1.2 lakh and ₹4.5 lakh per cycle, costs that many couples find prohibitive, especially as most health insurance plans do not cover fertility procedures. The Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act lacks provisions to regulate or cap these prices, resulting in wide cost disparities.
City-based gynaecologists report a worrying rise in infertility rates, with an increase of 20% to 30% over the last five years. Male infertility cases have also seen a significant uptick.
