Sri Lanka’s public healthcare system is set to offer in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for the first time, with a new facility to be established at the Castle Street Hospital for Women in Colombo.

According to health authorities, the move is expected to reduce the cost barrier associated with fertility treatment, which is currently available almost entirely through private medical providers.

In the private sector, a single IVF cycle typically costs between two million rupees ($6,460) and three million rupees, limiting access for many couples.

According to Ajith Kumara Danthanarayana, director of Castle Street Hospital, work is underway to set up the IVF unit, which is scheduled to begin operations within approximately three months.

He said the initiative is intended to make advanced fertility treatment accessible to couples who have been unable to pursue private options due to financial constraints.

The service would be integrated into the hospital’s existing maternal and reproductive health programmes, which are a leading public maternity institution in the country.

(Xinhua/NAN)