Cases Of Men Seeking DNA Paternity Tests On The Rise In Uganda
The number of men seeking DNA paternity tests for their children in Uganda has increased by 70 per cent.
Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs on Monday said the average number of men that sought paternity test three years ago was three per month but it has significantly risen to a hundred for the same duration.
“Last week alone, we had around 40 people, who were looking for services of DNA at the ministry because they know that we do control the Government Analytic Laboratory,” the ministry spokesperson Simon Mundenyi Mundenyi was quoted as saying by the Monitor newspaper.
Mundenyi said he did not have solid reasons to back up the men’s actions, which he termed appalling.
Among the reasons why the men opt to carry out the test is to avoid the responsibility of fathering children.
Cases of DNA tests turning out negative in Uganda have been rampant.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a DNA test for three samples (Mother, father and child) costs around UGX 750,000 which is equivalent to Ksh.28, 000.
