IVF treatment to be launched in KZN at public hospital

KZN's first public In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) programme to be launched at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in October

July 28, 2026

Lauren Anthony 1 minute read

IVF clinic to be launched in KZN PHOTO: Gustavo Fring/Pexels

Couples in KZN struggling with infertility will soon have access to fertility treatment from the public health sector.

Speaking during the KZN Head of Department Budget Speech, Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane announced the province’s first public In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) programme will launch at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban from October 2026.

According to a 2025 case study, only around 10% of the country’s estimated need for medically assisted reproduction is currently being met.

Researchers attributed this to the limited availability of services, unequal access across provinces and the high cost of assisted reproductive treatment.

The study concluded that more IVF clinics are needed throughout the country, with affordable, simplified procedures that maintain the same quality of care.

KZN joins public-sector IVF programmes

MEC Simelane noted, “For too long, couples in KwaZulu-Natal requiring fertility treatment had little choice but to seek prohibitively expensive private healthcare.

“Either that, or they had to travel to provinces where public IVF services were already available.

“KwaZulu-Natal is now catching up, and joining provinces such as Gauteng, the Free State, and the Eastern Cape in offering this highly specialised service in the public health sector.”

KZN’s new programme will join a small group of public-sector hospitals in South Africa that provide IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies. These include:

· Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town
· Tygerberg Hospital in Bellville, Cape Town
· Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria
· Universitas Hospital, Bloemfontein
· Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Umthatha

Plans for KZN’s programme

The provincial government has committed R30m towards specialised equipment for the programme.

Initially, the unit will provide more than 150 IVF treatment cycles each year and will be supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes specialised nurses and embryologists.

Last week, Simelane confirmed that the Department of Health is finalising the eligibility criteria and referral pathways that patients will need to follow to access the service.

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