IVF: Nigerian youths sell gametes for survival
To survive the harsh economy, Nigerian youths have resorted to selling their male and female gametes (sperms and eggs) under an advanced medical procedure known as In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).
The Guardian investigation showed that students of higher institutions formed the largest percentage of the donors of their reproductive cells, and received between N100,000 and N250,000 per donation.
It is a system used by some medical facilities to assist infertile couples to have children.
The University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Kwara State, stands out among few hospitals providing the procedures. There are other two notable ones at Tanke Area, near Judges Quarters and the other at Adewole Estate.
A medical doctor in one of the facilities, however, said not in all cases would they require donations from third parties to boost the fertility of their patients.
While dispelling the rumour of such donations, a clinician with UITH, under condition of anonymity, simply defined the process as the joining of a woman's egg and a man's sperm in a laboratory dish.
“In vitro means outside the body. Fertilisation means the sperm has attached to and entered the egg,” he explained
Technical Partner with MEDCLEV Multi Specialists Hospital, Tanke Ilorin, Prof Lukman Omokanye, decried the high rates of infertility in and outside Nigeria.
“But not all these cases would require IVF to resolve. So, I don't know anything about donors of sperms or eggs. But we can assure such patients suffering infertility that, medically, there is hope for them,” he added.
Some students, who spoke with The Guardian on the issue in Ilorin, said the development boosted their financial capabilities because, persons of their age bracket are seen as “hot cakes” for the donations due to their apparent age advantages and huge chances of fertility above older persons.
A male student in one of the higher institutions in the town, under condition of anonymity, said: “They have our phone numbers and there is a contact person, who will call us each time there is a need.
“We are not paid through the same method that other friends of the hospital are paid. This is so that the representative of the payer would not know what a particular payee is being remunerated for. The entire thing is shrouded in secrecy. They have a way of stimulating us to harvest the sperm.”
It is not, however, certain whether or not there could be a repercussion of “too much donation” for such commercial donors in future.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Musa Abdullahi Post-utme Boko Haram Baaziki Sulaiman Olaiya Victor Mobolaji Joseph Yemi Ajayi Ilorin Likeminds Foundation Maimunat Oloriegbe Abdulrazaq Akorede Taofik Abdulkareem Orisun Igbomina Twitter Bank Of Industry Omupo Muritala Olarewaju Biliaminu Aliu PAACO-PCL Consortium Senior Ibrahim Suleiman Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency Olatunji Abdulmumeen Michael Nzekwe Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation Lafiagi Khadijat Ayoola Yusuf Prince Mahe Abdulkadir Siraj Oyewale Ahman Pategi University Tescom.kwarastate.gov.ng Ndakene Kwara Apc C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng Ilorin International Airport Veterinary Teaching Hospital Local Government Pension Board Matthew Babaoye Yoonus Kola Olatinwo Okasanmi Ajayi Adamu Jemilat-Baki Hassan Oyeleke Afeyin-Olukuta Kwara Basketball Association Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu Ilorin East Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh Lai Gobir Ayo Opadokun Oniyangi Ilorin.Info Jide Oyinloye Idiagbon Gobirawa Inside Kwara Oniwasi Agbaye Gbenga Awoyale Oba Abu Saadu Gbogbo Iwe Neuropsychiatric Hospital Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa Sarakite Sabo-Oke Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence UNILORIN Alumni Association Just Event Online Unilorin FM Muhammad Fawaz Abubakar Okin Biscuits Yahaya Muhammad Paul Olawoore Adeniyi Ojo Ajasse-Ipo Olaiya Zuberu Wasiu Onidugbe Abdulrosheed Okiki Bond Idowu Aremu Amada Jidda TESCOM

