FERSOG Urges Ghana to Recognise Infertility as a Disease in Line with WHO Standards
The Fertility Society of Ghana (FERSOG) has renewed its call for the country to officially recognise infertility as a disease, aligning with the position of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The call came during the Society’s 2025 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, where health professionals, policymakers, and fertility specialists gathered to discuss the state of reproductive health in Ghana and the urgent need for stronger policy interventions.
According to FERSOG, infertility remains a major but often overlooked public health issue in Ghana, affecting thousands of couples across different socio-economic backgrounds. Despite being a medical condition that causes deep psychological, emotional, and social distress, infertility has not been fully acknowledged within Ghana’s health policy framework. The society stressed that this gap continues to deny many couples access to affordable care and comprehensive support systems.
Dr. Edem K. Hiadzi, President of the Fertility Society of Ghana, underscored that infertility is not merely a social or moral issue but a diagnosable medical condition that deserves national recognition and structured treatment pathways. He argued that by classifying infertility as a disease, the government would be compelled to include fertility care in national health planning and insurance coverage. This, he said, would help ensure equitable access to reproductive healthcare for couples struggling to conceive.
Infertility, as defined by the WHO, is a disease of the reproductive system characterized by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. FERSOG pointed out that while some private fertility centers in Ghana offer assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI), the cost of these services remains prohibitively high for the average Ghanaian. This financial barrier has left many couples without options, forcing some into traditional remedies or unverified treatments that often worsen their conditions.
Dr. Hiadzi also noted that the stigma associated with infertility continues to pose a serious challenge, particularly for women. In many Ghanaian communities, societal norms often place the blame on women when couples struggle to conceive, even though studies show that male factors contribute to nearly half of infertility cases. The FERSOG president stressed the need for a national public education campaign to demystify infertility, promote shared responsibility between men and women, and reduce discrimination against affected couples.
During the conference, fertility specialists presented new research findings highlighting the growing prevalence of infertility in urban and rural Ghana. They attributed the trend to multiple factors, including delayed childbearing, sexually transmitted infections, poor reproductive health education, and lifestyle-related issues such as obesity and substance abuse. The experts also noted that environmental factors, such as exposure to industrial chemicals and pollution, may be contributing to declining fertility rates in both men and women.
Participants at the conference emphasized that Ghana’s healthcare system must evolve to meet the reproductive needs of its citizens. This includes training more specialists in reproductive endocrinology, expanding fertility clinics across regions, and integrating fertility treatments into public hospitals. Some speakers proposed that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) should consider partial or full coverage for basic infertility diagnostics and treatments.
Beyond medical intervention, FERSOG called for psychological and emotional support for couples facing infertility, as the burden of childlessness often leads to depression, marital conflict, and social exclusion. The society urged policymakers to incorporate counseling services into fertility care programs and to create safe spaces for affected individuals to seek help without fear of judgment.
In addition, the conference discussed the ethical and legal dimensions of assisted reproduction in Ghana. Speakers advocated for the establishment of a comprehensive regulatory framework to govern fertility treatments and protect the rights of patients, donors, and children born through assisted reproductive technologies. Such regulation, they argued, would ensure ethical standards, prevent exploitation, and build public trust in fertility care systems.
Dr. Hiadzi reaffirmed FERSOG’s commitment to working with the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, and international partners to promote evidence-based fertility care. He stated that Ghana’s failure to recognise infertility as a disease continues to undermine reproductive rights and limit progress in achieving universal health coverage. He urged government officials to act decisively, noting that reproductive health is a core component of national development.
The conference concluded with a strong consensus among stakeholders that infertility should be treated as a public health priority, not a private tragedy. Delegates agreed that Ghana’s recognition of infertility as a disease would mark a transformative step towards reducing stigma, improving healthcare access, and upholding the reproductive dignity of all citizens.
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