Xtra
According to Hisham, the IVF centres in
Malaysia is at par with some of the best
centres in the world. Several centres in the
To a girl,
WHERE CAN APPLICANTS GET
GOVERNMENTAL AID FOR IVF
TREATMENT?
“The cost diff ers
and is priced by
package, but they are
signifi cantly cheaper
as it is subsidised. A
typical IVF treatment
could cost anywhere
between RM3, 500 to
RM8,000. However,
medications are
given free in most
instances.”
Financial aid through the Tunku Azizah
Fertility Foundation (TAFF) is available for
needy infertile couples to help them realise
the fundamental human dream of having
children.
To qualify for TAFF funding, couples must
be Malaysians married for more than three
years, with a joint household income not
exceeding RM4, 000 a month. In addition,
couples must receive treatment at infertility
centres recognised by the TAFF such as iCare
Fertility Centre at Island Hospital, Penang.
FUTURE OF IVF IN MALAYSIA
With the ever-evolving technology, IVF
services around the country have improved
tremendously both in the government and
private sector. Malaysia’s hope of becoming
Asia’s fertility hub by 2020 is refl ected by the
high quality of health services that is being
off ered in the country currently.
ADVANCEMENT IN IVF
PROGRAMME
private sector around the country is even
capable of performing the Pre-Implantation
Genetic Screening (PGS) to identify geneti-
cally normal embryos and blastocysts.
MOH regional IVF centres are able to
perform almost all types of IVF and ICSI
services except for PGS.
5
the treatment available at government
hospitals ranges from fertility investiga-
tions and simple treatment such as timed
intercourse or Intrauterine Insemination
(IUI) with the husband’s sperm to the
more advanced treatment such as IVF and
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with
fresh and frozen transfers which includes
facilities for cryopreservation.”
“The cost diff ers and is priced by pack-
age, but they are signifi cantly cheaper as
it is subsidised. A typical IVF treatment
could cost anywhere between RM3, 500 to
RM8,000. However, medications are given
free in most instances.”
There are several criteria that couples
will have to adhere to before they are con-
sidered qualifi ed for the treatment.
Couples will have to provide proper
documentation proving that they are
legally married and are of Malaysian
citizenship.
Furthermore, they must not suff er from
other diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis or
other chronic diseases such as high blood
pressure and diabetes. Applicants must also
have a BMI lesser than 30 and aged 20 to 40.