The Government has said that the IVF service as announced by the Ministry for Health (MFH) has commenced as from the 1st November 2013 and will proceed as planned.

The couples who have been referred to the Fertility Clinic at the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department at Mater Dei Hospital by their Gynaecologist / Family Doctor for this specialised treatment have already started to undergo the process of screening.

Now prioritisation screening by a team including a Gynaecology and Obstetrics Specialist along with an independent retired gynaecologist will be initiated to ensure full transparency and most relevantly equity in this process. This will ensure that screening proceeds according to their eligibility by the Embryo Protection Authority (EPA) as per protocol and guidelines of the same Authority. (These protocol and guidelines have been laid on the table of the House of Representatives on Tuesday 22nd October 2013).

The Government said that during their clinical consultation at the Fertility Clinic, the referred couples have already started to undergo the necessary free investigative tests/procedures as needed. Couples will also be receiving free Infertility Counselling prior to the procedure as stipulated by the Embryo Protection Act and for that matter even throughout the process in the interest of the child’s and couple’s welfare.

The Ministry for Health said that it has been informed that technical issues have arisen related to the tendering process to set up the Fertility Laboratory and as a consequence this, the setting up of the Phase 2 PPP Service at MDH will have to be delayed. “It is envisaged that a new call for application will be issued again. Nevertheless, the service will still be provided immediately through a reimbursement system to couples who were vetted by the Fertility Clinic at MDH in 2013.”

Such reimbursement will continue until the time that the Phase 2 PPP Service at Mater Dei Hospital is in place, the Ministry said.

Reimbursement claims would only be accepted from couples who have been screened by the MFH’s specially appointed Gynaecology and Obstetrics Specialist and additionally who have been deemed to be eligible by the EPA.

The Ministry said that all other procedures to set up the IVF Unit, such as structural changes and capacity building of staff to work in the unit, will still continue with no change in timeline. Also training of nurses and counseling staff by BICA (British Infertility Counselling Association) will be held as agreed in the third week of November 2013.

A new call for tendering for Phase 2 is being issued immediately.

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