Repro Optima Center expands services
Posted on March 10th, 2011
What started as a dream to offer affordable, international quality reproductive health services to every couple in Cebu five years ago has turned into a reality for Dr. Marivic Romualdez- Tan, owner of Repro Optima Center for Reproductive Health Inc.
Tan, who finished a degree in reproductive endocrinology, worked in Manila where she offered in -vitro fertilization to couples trying to have children.
She chose to set up shop in Cebu after receiving Cebuano clients. ” I had about five couples and I thought what am I doing in Manila when there are people in Cebu who also need such service and would have to spend for airfares? So I thought: Why not move to Cebu?” she said.
Tan’s schedule began with a two-week stay in Cebu and another two weeks in Manila.
“I opened my Cebu clinic in M.Diaz building which is right beside Cebu Doctors’ in 2005,”she said.Tan had two staffers in her Cebu clinic then.
But the member of unsuccessful cases of patients whom she referred to laboratory in Manila drove Tan to set her own IVF laboratory in Cebu.
“It’s also very expensive for my clients because they still have to go Manila to harvest the eggs and perform the IVF and I think the practices in some laboratories there are also not within international standards. So I really told myself that I had need an IVF lab here.”she said.
In 2007,Tan moved her office to the ground floor of the JRDC building along Osmeña Boulevard right beside the Philippine Red Cross office.The location can house both her clinic and laboratory.
The lab was set up in May 2008 with former Sydney IVF consultants Dr. David Mortimer,Irene Lilac and James Catt,who have established track records in IVF.
Tan said Repro Optima’s success rate is at 68 percent, on par with Sydney IVF’s rate of 70 to 80 percent.
From a small clinic with two staffers, Tan now has 12 full time staffers for her Repro Optima clinic.
Aside from IVF fertility screening and investigation, the clinic also offers gynaecologic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, ovulation induction and monitoring.
It also offers intrauterine insemination, treatment of male infertility or assisted fertilization, gamete and zygote intra-fallopian transfer, surgical sperm retrieval, embryo freezing and replacement, sperm, egg and embryo banking.
Tan said she only charges P200,000 to P250,000 which is low compared to international rates of at least $20,000.
“This could be the reason why we already have customers from the working class like OFW’s unlike before when only the super rich could afford them,” she said.
From a local client base, Tan expanded her clientele to other provinces around the country and even customers from abroad like Singapore.
she said her clinic helps affirm Cebu’s position as a prime medical tourism destination.
“All the time we have all been looking outside to seek more quality medical help while they are also coming here beacuse we are very affordable and they like also to visit Cebu while getting medical treatments for thier loved ones,” Tan said.
Tan said she is looking at expanding her clientele base in other strategc areas in the country.
“We are keen on opening satellite branches of Repro Optima in areas like Tacloban in Leyte as well as a bigger clinic soon here in Cebu that can accommodate the influx of customers,” Tan said.
By Aileen Garcia- Yap
Reporter – Cebu Daily News
January 31, 2011