Muscat – The Ministry of Health (MoH), represented by the Directorate General of Khoula Hospital, on Wednesday officially opened the first government-run fertility centre at Al Wattayah Obstetrics and Gynecology Complex.

The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of H H Dr Muna Fahad Mahmoud al Said, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University in the presence of H E Dr Hilal Ali al Sabti, Minister of Health, and H E Dr Laila Ahmed al Najar, Minister of Social Development.

In her statement, H H Dr Muna said that the centre is a glimmer of hope for people coping with fertility challenges, while informing that the centre would provide diagnostic and therapeutic services to couples during their journey in treating fertility problems.

H E Dr Said Harib al Lamki, Undersecretary for Health Affairs in MoH, affirmed that the fertility centre is a qualitative addition to the health services having been equipped with the latest lab technologies to help couples overcome the problems of pregnancy and childbirth.

The centre boasts of having a team of medical experts with vast experiences in the field of fertility.

Quoting statistics on infertility and delayed pregnancy, Dr Rahma al Ghabshi, senior consultant of obstetrics and gynecology, said around 10% to 13% of the population of any society suffer from delayed pregnancy, which is one of the problems that affect not only the individual but also the family, community and the country.

“Providing such a service contributes to treating delayed pregnancy to maintain family and community cohesion.” 

The centre aims to provide high quality and efficient medical care services and seeks to receive and treat 1,000 cases this year, and raising the number to 1,500 cases in the second year.

Notably, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) – one of several techniques available to help people with fertility problems have a baby – will be used in several cases such as fallopian tube obstruction, infertility in males including low sperm count or severe weakness in sperm motility, women with ovulation disorders, or infertility of unknown cause with failure of other procedures and treatments.

The centre receives the cases referred from obstetrics and gynecology departments from all government hospitals and health complexes from all governorates, from urology clinics treating male infertility, from reproductive endocrinology clinics in the Royal Hospital and Al Wattayah Complex.