The Ugandan government has indicated it will introduce laws to regulate DNA testing services following an increase in the number of paternity tests being sought daily in the country.
Uganda’s Parliament Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has directed the country’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to appear before the house on July 11 to “guide the nation” on what measures will be taken to regulate DNA testing services.
“Prime minister (Nabbanja), you need to come out and guide the nation because what is happening is terrible. Innocent children are falling victim [to the unregulated DNA tests],” Tayebwa said during a parliamentary session on Tuesday.
“Young children are being chased out of homes. What are we going to do about it?” posed the deputy speaker.
He said he was concerned by the high number of DNA test applications in the country, especially by men.
“Soon, there will be a DNA laboratory in every corner. We want to know: how is this regulated? How should it be handled?” said Tayebwa.
Restricted services
Napak Woman Representative Faith Nakut proposed that paternity testing should be added on the list of restricted health services to avert depression and suicide, especially among men.
Daniel Kyabayinze, the Head of Public Health Department at the Ministry of Health, told Uganda’s Monitor newspaper that they were “discussing the need for quality assurance of these (DNA) tests.”
“The Ministry of Health is also discussing the quality of counselling provided and the qualifications of these persons conducting the tests,” Kyabayinze said.
Ugandan police, marriage counsellors and religious leaders have recently raised concern over the increased cases of men seeking paternity tests.
The Monitor reports that last week alone, 32 Ugandan men had written to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control demanding the cancellation of their children’s passports after paternity tests indicated they were not the biological fathers of the minors.
