From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Founder of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, has expressed the willingness of Nigerian doctors, who left the country to seek greener pastures abroad, to return home and practice their profession.
However, Dr. Ajayi, an expert in reproductive health, said such desire to come back to Nigeria was being hampered by the glaring lack of standard medical facilities where the would-be returnees could offer services to humanity.
Ajayi stated this while speaking with newsmen in Asaba on the sidelines of the 14th anniversary celebration of the establishment of Nordica Fertility Centre in the Delta State capital.
The centre, which specialises in the treatment of infertility and the facilitation of assisted conception through a technologically driven process, in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), was first established in Lagos 20 years ago.
Dr. Ajayi disclosed that more than eight Nigerian doctors based overseas have worked at the fertility centre, adding that recently the centre recruited another Nigerian doctor based in Qatar.
“Most of our doctors in the western world are willing to come back home to work but there are no well equipped facilities.
“And because they have practiced there for some time, there is a certain standard which they can accept. Nigerian doctors are great but lack of equipment is the major bane.”
Dr. Ajayi said he has never regretted choosing Asaba as a base for the treatment of infertility after Lagos. He added that the centre has assisted many couples have children of their own.
Conservatively, he said about 250 patients are treated annually at the Asaba centre, noting that the centre has contributed immensely to the improvement of the fertility level within the catchment area.
He, however, lamented the rising cases of infertility globally, which he partly attributed to lifestyle, particularly among the youths, who have failed to take deliberate steps to preserve their fertility.
“Definitely infertility is on the rise, in fact globally, not only in Nigeria. Infertility rate seems to be rising, especially male factor infertility. They have done so many studies in the western world and discovered that in the last 40 years sperm count has reduced by 50 per cent.
“We, in Nigeria did a study 10 years ago in our clinic. We saw that in 10 years, sperm count has reduced by 30 per cent in 10 years. There is no doubt that male infertility seems to be on the increase,” he submitted.