Health Minister, Dr. Aceng
The government has intervened in the DNA (Deoxyribonucleric acid) paternity testing owing to the recent news stories in the media.
However, the government says DNA testing helps in among other areas, solving crime or identifying the unknown dead body (forensics). protect the risk of developing certain diseases, for example cancer, and to guide treatments.
“DNA paternity testing has been ongoing in the country for close to 20 years,” Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng told the media in Kampala on Monday afternoon.
According to Dr. Aceng, social media reports of child neglect, homicide and even suicide following issuance of negative paternity tests have created the impression of a DNA paternity testing crisis in the country.
“As a result, the public has gone further to question the validity and integrity of DNA paternity testing results, credibility of the persons and laboratories conducting tests.
Now, according to Dr. Aceng, the government has taken keen interest in the matter and conducted a consultative meeting with the different government Ministries, Departments and Agencies alongside the testing laboratories to solve the situation.
She, however, assured the country that there is no paternity crisis in the country.
Dr. Aceng says that currently, there are only two main laboratories – Government Analytical Laboratory (GAL) and MBN Clinical Laboratories have been nationally and internationally certified and accredited to run DNA paternity testing.
She, however, said that there have been suspicions that some unscrupulous agents might have smuggled fake equipment or reagents for DNA paternity testing into the country.
“I have been informed of some Rapid Diagnostic Tests purported to be home-based DNA test kits, some of which are available online. These RDTs are not validated for use in Uganda and therefore not allowed into the country, whether for use in the public or in the private sector,” Dr. Aceng said.
She cautioned Ugandans against using rapid kits or accepting the DNA test kids to be used for testing them because they will get wrong results.
“The Ministry will continue to provide standards and regulatory oversight necessary to ensure that all laboratory processes including DNA paternity testing guarantee quality and reliability of laboratory test results,” Dr. Aceng said.
