NMC Fertility Kenya has partnered with Dubai Islamic Bank to offer personal financing to individuals seeking fertility services as in vitro fertilisation gains acceptance in Kenya.
In Vitro fertilisation (IVF is a complex series of procedures used to help with fertility or prevent genetic problems and assist with the conception of a child. It is one of the forms of assisted reproductive technology which cost close to Sh1 million.
During IVF, mature eggs are collected (retrieved) from ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab. Then the fertilized egg (embryo) or eggs (embryos) are transferred to a uterus. One full cycle of IVF takes about three weeks. Sometimes these steps are split into different parts and the process can take longer.
Patients who seek services of NMC Fertility will get a loan range of between Sh 100,000 to Sh 1 million. The loan applies to any employee whether on contract or permanent basis.
The Fertility Point, a state-of-the-art centre affiliated to NMC Healthcare which has 42 fertility centres worldwide was launched in Kenya in 2018. Ever since its launch, the fertility centre has become a reference point for many couples with reproductive issues.
Those who wish to access the product will have to submit employment documents with the bank and insure themselves with Takaful, a Sharia compliant underwriter for the term of the loan. Mr Atul Dureja, an executive at NMC Fertility said the financing option will make treatment affordable for more patients.
” Kenya is an economic sensitive country and people are not always willing to spend a lot of money treating a condition that is not chronic or life-threatening. Matters to do with fertility comes as a comfort and makes one’s life better,” Dureja commented, “The partnership with DIB helps make people’s lives better as it makes affordable the service that we offer at NMC.”
Dureja further noted that prices of getting medical services are felt across all classes whether rich or poor.
“It does not matter whether you are middle-class, lower-class or high class. The cost of a fertility clinic still pinches you. However, it is easier for everyone if they get a loan to deal with the charges and then pay in installments. You will not feel the pinch,” he said.
In Nairobi, testing the embryo for abnormalities ranges from Sh100,000 to Sh300,000, an additional charge to IVF, and that is dependent on whether a couple wants the embryo tested for over 600 inherited diseases or just chromosome analysis.
