Rwandans will no longer have to travel abroad to get fertility-related care following the opening of a fertility clinic in Kigali.

The Kigali IVF and Fertility Clinic, in Kimironko suburb of Gasabo District, Kigali, is estimated to have cost $350,000 (about Rwf237 million).

It will initially offer services like In vitro fertilisation (IVF), a fertility treatment procedure that enables an egg to be fertilised by a sperm in the laboratory, HIV sperm washing, Intra–uterine Insemination (IUI), egg  freezing and storage, among others.

"All we are waiting for is final clearance from the Ministry of Health, and if all goes as expected, our doors will be open to service by April 10,” Justin Mfizi, the country coordinator of Kigali IVF and Fertility Clinic, said.

He said the clinic was set up for convenience reasons since many Rwandans travel abroad to seek similar treatment.

"We noticed that many people travel to Uganda to receive this kind of care, so this will not only save time, but money too. A lot of people live in childless marriages, little knowing that their fertility problems can be medically sorted,” Mfizi.

Cost of service

Mfizi said the cost of the endoscopic service would range from $1,500 (about Rwf1 million) to $6,000 (about Rwf4 million).

"Plans are underway to partner with local health insurance firms, to get low income earners to enjoy the rights to the service,” he said.

The clinic hopes to introduce services such as DNA testing, egg/sperm donation, surrogacy services, among others.

Mfizi said Kigali IVF and Fertility Clinic would also serve people from Burundi and DR Congo.

The clinic is a subsidiary of Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Centre, based in Kampala, Uganda. 

Dr Gaspard Ntahonkiriye, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at La Croix du Sud Hospital in Remera, expressed optimism that the centre will help reduce existing cases of infertility.

"On average, my clinic refers at least two people with infertility-related issues abroad every month to seek advanced care,” Dr Ntahonkiriye said.