The government has broadened its investment in reproductive healthcare with the launch of a new round of financial assistance for couples seeking in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI). The initiative is administered through the Fertility Care Trust Fund under the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA), which has now opened applications for the latest round of support.
Under the scheme, aid will be provided to 50 married couples selected through a points-based evaluation system designed to identify those with the greatest need. Interested applicants must submit their forms through the OneGov portal before the 20 December deadline.
Access to the Fertility Fund is subject to stringent criteria. Couples must have been married for at least three years and must present medical evidence of a natural cause of infertility. They are also required to show that other fertility treatments have been attempted without success, and that IVF or IUI has been recommended by a licensed medical professional as the most viable next step.
The Fertility Care Trust Fund has seen notable expansion over recent years. In 2023, the programme allocated USD 310,246.43 solely for IVF procedures. By October 2025, disbursements had risen to USD 462,389.64, enabling 93 couples to access treatment. According to NSPA figures, 23 of those couples or individuals achieved successful IVF pregnancies, signalling the programme’s growing impact.
Officials emphasise that financial support is only one aspect of a broader national strategy to improve fertility services. The government is moving ahead with plans to build a new specialist hospital in Hulhumalé Phase II to deliver advanced reproductive care.
The upcoming facility will focus on gynaecological and paediatric medicine, offering a wide range of services including maternal care, neonatal support for premature infants, family planning, and screening for breast and cervical cancers. Fertility treatments — including IVF and IUI — will be a core part of its operations. Design work for the hospital is currently underway.
