New Delhi: The Director General Medical Services (DGMS) has come up with additional Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) centres to help Army personnel avail better treatment for fertility issues, ThePrint has learnt.
Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that the motive is to make treatment easier for the army officers and jawans along with their spouses posted in different parts of the country. Earlier, such cases were given postings where the couples could get such specialised treatment.
According to a notification, the new centres are deemed Level 1 ART centres. Sources informed ThePrint that 25 such centres have opened at the hospitals of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).
Until now, ART centres were limited to Delhi, Pune, Bhopal, Guwahati, Jalandhar, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. With the opening of Level 1 ART centres, the existing seven centres are now designated Level 2, which come equipped with advanced procedures and techniques.
The notification was issued in July, while another was brought out in August.
Sources told ThePrint that if treatment at the Level 1 centres is not sufficient, the couples can avail services of Level 2 centres.
According to the notification, the age criteria for availing IVF treatment for couples is relaxed from 25-40 years to 21-50 years. Cohabitation period is also reduced from three years to two years.
Furthermore, the policy enables the couples, who choose to avail treatment from private facilities, to be reimbursed for three cycles with Rs 65,000 each time.
With more hospitals having gynaecology departments designated as ART centres, postings will not be limited and treatment can be undertaken without delay in the existing stations, sources said.
“With fertility clinics having opened up in small towns and cities, this provision would help couples get treatment even in remote parts of the country by travelling to the nearest town for such a treatment,” a source explained.
The changes are in line with the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Rules, 2022.
“Specific provisions have been included in the Act and Rules related to registration of ART Centres, staffing norms and qualification of staff manning such centres. The ART Rule has come into effect w.e.f from 7 June, 2022 and non-compliance with the same by the ART Centres of the AFMS may have far reaching legal ramifications,” the new policy read.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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