...Produces First Set Of Triplets

By William Sarpong, Daily Democrat

The Family Hospital at Teshie, a private health venture, made history on Sunday 1st May when the first set of triplets were delivered through its In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) for couples who over the past ten years have been searching for children. The babies were one week yesterday on the occasion of Mother’s Day celebration .

Family Health Hospital recorded this achievement in May, Mother’s day month and a month perceived to be a lucky one for the hospital, having chalked a similar success in May last year when a set of twins were produced.

Speaking to The Daily Democrat, the Medical Director of Family Health Hospital, Dr. Susu Kwawukume, expressed his joy at the news and disclosed that the success is a great relief for couples who are going through difficulties in child bearing.

He revealed that, the triplets have come as a blessing to a family who, for the past ten years, had been looking forward to having children.

Explaining the procedure, he said, after conducting necessary investigation on the couples, the woman was put on medication while the man’s semen was taken and incubated in an incubator.

Dr. Kwawukume, however, revealed that the Hospital has acquired special machines which pick and help men with very low sperms to function and also stimulate women to produce enough eggs.

He further disclosed that in the Test Tube Baby Technology, they have different protocols that they follow and depending on the kind of protocol followed, one can produce a child, twins or triplets.

About cost involved, Dr. Kwawukume said the total cost is estimated at about $5,000 because drugs needed are imported.

Dr. Kwawukume, therefore, appealed to government to help bring the drugs and subsidize them or encourage investors to produce the drugs in Ghana to make them available to more couples to address their child bearing problems. He suggested that government should make it possible for individuals who want to set up the IVF facilities to take loans from the banks at special interest rates.

Prof. Kwawume advised couples who are trying hard to have babies not to lose hope, panic or fear that they are impotent or barren but visit the Family Health Centre for solution.