The city of Mumbai is looked upon as the Mecca of health-care not only by the people of India but also by people coming from other developed and developing countries. This is so because health professionals in Mumbai have attained a high level of proficiency in providing health-care in the private sector. They have kept abreast of the latest in knowledge and technology while retaining traditional empathy for the person in need of health-care.

Countries of the world where the government has tried to take over health-care for their people are moving slowly towards the private sector in the health industry. There is a long waiting list of patients requiring surgery, sometimes running into months and years. In the management of infertility in most countries, including India, the government has lagged severely; nor is there hope that this will be rectified in the near future. In advanced countries such as the UK and Germany where the government provides for IVF (test tube baby) patients have to wait very long for their turn, finally turning to private practitioners. Medical insurance does not cover management and treatment of Infertility in any country of the world. In private practice the doctor is answerable for every expense that is incurred by the patient undergoing treatment. Hence, resources are utilized more conservatively.

Investment to set up one Infertility Centre can run into several hundred thousand US dollars. Which country of the world would like to use the government’s resources for this purpose? It is only private enterprise and philanthrophic organizations that can fulfill this need. Mumbai has some of the best infertility set-ups of the world, providing care for infertile patients at a fraction of a what it costs abroad. There is at present no need for Indians to travel abroad for infertility treatment while couples from abroad are greatly satisfied with the care they receive in Mumbai. The internet has made this very easy. Couples can select the centre that suits their needs and fix up appointments easily. There is a great need for patients to be able to consult with all the reports through the internet while debiting their consulting fees to the concerned centre. These patients often need to spend weeks especially on their first visit. Centres can tie up with guest houses/hotels for accommodation to help patients coming from outside Mumbai.

I feel greatly that several advanced techniques for treatment of infertility are beyond the reach of the poorer class. Well to do individuals who have parented children through the successful outcome of these techniques should set up trusts to help their poor brethren benefit from the same advances, for the need to procreate is a basic instinct that strikes at the heart of every individual.

Consultant Gynaecologist and Andrologist, Bombay Hospital and Medical Research Centre and Family Planning Association of India. Asst. Professor, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences.