Extension of Co-Funding for Assisted Conception Procedures Scheme to Private Clinics

26 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health (a) whether he can provide an update on the Ministry's review to extend the Co-Funding for the Assisted Conception Procedures scheme to private Assisted Reproduction centres; and (b) if the review has not been completed, when will it be completed.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: The public Assisted Reproduction (AR) centres, generally, have sufficient capacity, with current utilisation rates at around 67% and average wait times of around four to eight weeks. The public AR centres are also expanding to prepare for an increase in patient load. The National University Hospital completed renovations of its in vitro fertilisation (IVF) laboratory in 2022, while the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital is in the process of building a second IVF laboratory.

Nonetheless, we recognise that there could be scope to consider extending co-funding to the private sector as some couples may prefer to seek treatment at private AR centres. As part of the ongoing review, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is studying the merits of doing so and assessing how best to ensure clinical outcomes are monitored and acceptable, that couples are charged reasonably and that co-funding monies are used prudently. We aim to complete the review by the end of this year.