Hope rises for childless couples

L-R: Dr. Tola Ajayi – Clinic Manager Nordica Fertility Centre and Sex, Fertility & Relationship Counselor; Dr Abayomi Ajayi – Founder Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria (ESGN) and MD Nordica Fertility Centre; Ms Chioma Afe – Head of Corporate Communications, Diamond Bank (Diamond Woman Initiative) and Mr Onuora Molokwu – Executive Member of ESGN.

At 47, Mrs Soyemi was almost giving up on her dream of ever becoming a mother. Over the years, she traversed different parts of the country from one hospital to the other and even sought help abroad. Some of the hospitals told her she had endometriosis, a debilitating condition affecting the womb, which often impedes pregnancy.
“I was told endometriosis only stops when you attain menopause so I told myself ‘what again?’ and placed my hope in God.”
Her story however changed when she saw an advert by the Fertility Treatment Support Foundation  (FTSF) offering free IVF treatment for couples in need. She applied, received the free IVF treatment and could not hold back her story when she met with journalists yesterday in Lagos. Mrs Soyemi is pregnant!
Just like Soyemi, Mrs Vivian Eshiet, in her five years of marriage, also longed to have a baby. Every effort to achieve  pregnancy, which included several visits to numerous hospitals and consumption of herbs  had failed  and she was advised in  some of the hospitals to try IVF.  But I’VF procedures does not come cheap.
“The fund was an issue. We needed to save and plan before trying it,” she said.
Help however came when someone drew her attention to the online advert by FTSF offering free IVF treatment for couples with infertility problem. She applied and was chosen for the programme. Her joy was palpable as she narrated her experience to  journalists at  Nordica conference room.
Shoyemi and Eshiet are two of the beneficiaries of the 2017 free fertility programme for couples by the  Fertility Treatment Support Foundation  (FTSF) initiated hy Nordica Fertility Centre, Nigeria’s foremost  I’VF clinic, and partners.
The Foundation yesterday  announced  the 2018 edition, with a promise to put a smile on the faces of more couples with infertility problem in  Nigeria.
Speaking at the media briefing with journalists in Lagos, a Trustee of the Foundation Dr. Abayomi Ajayi and Mr. Onuora Molokwu, an Executive Member of the foundation stated that the Foundation, this year, would be giving 20 free treatments to deserving couples with a compelling infertility story but are unable to pay for the treatment.
According to them, the high cost of fertility treatment all over the world has remained a challenge for many fertility challenged couples and this has denied them the opportunity of accessing fertility treatment and the joy of completing their families.
Mr Molokwu said FTSF was encouraged by the results from its previous interventions in this area of free fertility treatment since its inception in 2008 which has resulted in over 150 couples receiving free fertility screening and treatment.
He enjoined interested couples to visit the foundation’s website or its social media handles to receive information on how to qualify for the free treatment programme..
Mr. Molokwu also urged well-meaning individuals and corporations to join hands with FTSF to support this initiative which he believes has the potential of allowing many more couples enjoy the joy of parenthood.
FTSF commenced operations as a non-profit organization in 2008 with a mandate to provide free fertility screening and treatment to couples with a compelling infertility story, but are financially challenged.
Last year, it embarked on its annual call for entries and got five
“This year, we are planning to do eighty (80) free screenings, from where we will select five (5) couples every quarter, making a total of twenty (20) for the year that will qualify for free treatment,” he said.