Eastern Cape gets first public IVF clinic to help couples struggling with infertility

Couples across the Eastern Cape who have struggled with infertility can now look to the future with renewed hope. This follows the official opening of the province’s first public in vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinic at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital. The Eastern Cape is now the fourth province in the country to offer the service at a state hospital.

Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa said the government’s decision to establish highly specialised care services at the academic hospital was driven by local need, particularly in rural communities where people had further to travel for such services. “When the government decided to establish an academic hospital in the province, the intention was very clear: we wanted highly specialised services to be accessible to our communities.” Capa emphasised patients would have to pay for the service but this would be less than they would pay in a private hospital. “I’m sure in the private sector it costs about R100,000 but Nelson Mandela Academic will charge R35,000.

“This is a public institution and we are aware of the woes faced by our community. “There will be exceptional cases specifically for people in rural areas, whom we will bring to the facility.” Capa outlined the department’s financial investment in the facility. “In terms of infrastructure, we have spent about R12m,” she said. “When it comes to employing staff and specialists to run the service, we are sitting at around R18m.”