The National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) has set difficult eligibility criteria and limited the number of people who could seek the IUI and IVF fertility treatments under the Aasandha health insurance scheme.
Certain conditions must be met to apply for IUI and IVF treatments, according to rules made public by NSPA on Friday.
The conditions include at least three years of marriage. A couple that applies for IVF would be rejected under the current rules if they have not been married for three years.
"Facing a medical condition that prevents natural conception, or inability to conceive over the past three years without being able to identify the cause, and a relevant specialist having advised that 'IVF' or 'IUI' through reproductive pathology is the most suitable treatment for the person after failing to conceive," the rules stated as the eligibility criteria.
The absence of children and the lack of any convictions for criminal offenses over the past three years were also included among the criteria for seeking fertility treatment.
The rules also consider the age of the couple that seeks treatment. The wife must be aged between 25 to 42 to apply for IUI. The wife who seeks IVF must be 30 to 42 years of age. For both treatments, the husband's age must not exceed 55 years.
However, exemptions would be made on the age limit if a specialist advises that IVF would be the most suitable treatment for a wife who has turned 25 years of age.
The applicants must also have completed three rounds of IVF at their own expense and must not have undergone the treatment through Aasandha coverage or NSPA assistance in the past, according to the criteria.
But the treatment would not be assured despite fulfilling these conditions. Eligible applicants would be chosen for treatment through a points system.
Points would be awarded based on income, the length of marriage, the wife's age and whether either the man or woman has a child from a previous marriage. The couple's "standard of living" and whether they previously sought IVF treatment would also be considered in the evaluation.
The people chosen to undergo treatment under this pledge included in the President's first 100-day roadmap would be based on the number of successful applicants annually determined by the government. For example, if the government decides to cover treatment for 50 people a year, the service would be offered to the 50 applicants who scored the highest points. Eligible applicants who scored lower points would have to apply the next year.
Following a cabinet meeting on December 5, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that expanding Aasandha coverage as pledged during his campaign to include fertility treatments such as IVF had been deliberated and approved during the meeting.
"We will amend and gazette the Aasandha scheme's regulations to include that [fertility treatments including IVF]. And procedures will be formulated to provide IVF, IUI and announced," the President said.
