Lawmakers from Parliament’s Health Committee are expressing concerns about delays in fully implementing Assisted Reproductive Health Technology Services at Mulago Specialized Women and Neonatal Hospital. This delay is resulting in Ugandans resorting to expensive private fertility clinics for treatment.
Evelyn Nabunya, the Executive Director of Mulago Specialized Women and Neonatal Hospital, explained that certain assisted reproductive services like In vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy are not yet available due to the absence of legislation to guide their implementation. However, Buikwe South MP Lulume Bayiga rejected this explanation, urging Nabunya to provide more clarity on the hospital’s capacity to offer such services and when they will become available.
Another concern raised by MPs is the high cost of fertility treatment at Mulago Women Hospital, with Sharon Laker from Gulu District arguing that the hospital isn’t benefiting Ugandans as it should, especially those in rural areas.
Sarah Opendi, MP for Tororo District, previously tabled The Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill, 2023, recognizing the increasing demand for fertility solutions like IVF due to rising cases of infertility.
Bayiga called on officials from the Women’s Hospital to ensure it lives up to its specialization in women’s health by offering pro-bono services, especially for conditions like fistula, to preserve women’s dignity.
George Bokha from Obongi County questioned why the government hasn’t led the enactment of laws to regulate fertility services, emphasizing the need for legal protection for both service providers and recipients.
Charles Ayume from Koboko Municipality, also Chairperson of Health, stressed the importance of balancing affordability and accessibility of services without compromising quality.
Nabunya highlighted the low staffing levels at Mulago Women Hospital, citing instances where one nurse attends to 10-15 babies in the pre-term baby section instead of the recommended ratio of 1 nurse to 2 babies. She emphasized the need for increased funding to recruit more staff and cover essential operational costs to extend services to more Ugandans. Nabunya specified the hospital’s need for Shs2.29Bn for staff recruitment and an additional Shs1.4Bn for utility bills.
