Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha: IVF services in Telangana govt hospitals stalled for years

File photo of IVF Centre at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, which was inaugurated on October 8, 2023.
| Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G

Despite a Government Order issued in 2018 to establish IVF centres at three government hospitals in Telangana, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) administration could not start IVF services in any of these hospitals until 2023, said Minister for Health C. Damodar Raja Narasimha.

In a post shared on X by the office of Minister for Health on Thursday (October 17, 2024), the Minister referenced GO number 520 from September 2018, which allocated ₹7.15 crore for the establishment of infertility centres at Gandhi Hospital, Modern Government Maternity Hospital (MGMH) Petlaburj, and MGM Hospital in Warangal.

“At Petlaburj and MGM hospitalsno equipment was purchased, leaving IVF services non-existent. Just prior to the 2023 elections, some equipment was rushed to Gandhi Hospitalbut critical components were lacking—there was no embryologist, essential permissions had not been obtained, and no funds had been allocated for necessary chemicals and medicines,” the post said.

The Minister noted, “When our government took charge, we rectified these issues by appointing a qualified embryologist, assigning trained staff, allocating the required funds, and securing the necessary permissions.”