
. More than 10,000 children have been born through Poland’s government-funded in vitro fertilization (IVF) program, but its future is now uncertain as clinics report significant funding cuts. The program’s stability has been further shaken by the departure of Dagmara Korbasińska-Chwedczuk, the director of the Department of Equality at the Ministry of Health, who was responsible for overseeing the initiative.
Dr. Damian Warzecha of the Warsaw South Hospital estimates that reduced funding could mean up to 100 fewer couples will be able to undergo the procedure, with available funds potentially exhausted as early as May, according to a report by tvn24.pl.
The concerns stem from a recent decision by the Ministry of Health regarding the allocation of funds for the program this year. Last year, 600 million złoty (approximately $147 million USD) was allocated for the program. The February 26th document details the distribution of funds to 42 public and private facilities across Poland.
“Efektywność rośnie”
Anna Łukasik, president of the Warsaw South Hospital, explained that their facility treats not only younger women, who generally have a higher chance of conception, but also patients over 40 with underlying health conditions like heart problems or diabetes, providing them with comprehensive care.
“The decision from the Ministry of Health, which we received on Thursday afternoon, is completely incomprehensible to us,” Łukasik said in an interview with WP abcZdrowie. “Especially since the Ministry of Health does not have access to patients’ medical data, and no one from the ministry requested such data. On what basis, then, was the decision made to allocate funds?” She questioned the methodology used to assess program effectiveness, stating, “The Ministry indicates efficiency, but who and how measured that efficiency? I am very willing to submit to such a ranking, because we have nothing to hide, as our efficiency is growing.”
The Warsaw South Hospital received 2.7 million złoty (approximately $660,000 USD) less in funding compared to the previous year. Financial issues with the program began to surface late last year, with reports to tvn24.pl and through the Kontakt24 platform detailing instances of procedures being abruptly halted, leaving couples in both medical and financial distress. The funding cuts underscore the challenges facing access to fertility treatments in Poland.
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