The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa has asked government to come up with guidelines on carrying out DNA tests without breaking families and ruining lives of innocent children.
Speaking on Tuesday, Tayebwa described the issue of DNA as being sensitive and needs government intervention.
"We need the Right Honourable Prime Minister at least you come out and guide the nation on this matter [and] we see how best we can counsel these people. Maybe if there are regulations around it, but we just don't leave it," Tayebwa said.
He asked that DNA laboratory centres are regulated to avoid scenarios of issuance of fake results which might be disastrous.
"Ugandans are very sharp, now in every corner, you are going to have a DNA laboratory. So we want to know how this should be regulated and handled."
According to Tayebwa, the surge in DNA testing where men discover that the presumed biological children are not theirs has led to untold suffering to children
He said that the recent surge in DNA testing, particularly in cases where men discover that their presumed biological children are not related to them, has led to potential harm to the children involved.
"Innocent children are falling victim. You don't know what your parents were doing. You don't know whatever happened and all of a sudden you see someone saying, stop using my name. Someone is saying bring back your national ID, it bears my name, so I want to go and change it and all that kind of confusion. And really the boy child is committing suicide, men are suffering. At least the mothers know who the fathers of the children are but the men are in big trouble."
"Also, we men who are out there, by the time you go to make a DNA test for around 16 children, it means you also have your issues and you might have someone who is also taking care of your children."
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The Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr.Chris Baryomunsi said there will be an assessment of the laboratories carrying out DNA tests to ascertain whether they are accredited.
"Part of the concern is on the laboratories and the tests being carried out. The Ministry of Health this morning held a meeting with various labs and managers and an assessment is being carried out to check whether or not these labs are accredited," Baryomunsi said.
"I don't know want is motivating married men to run for DNA tests because it has become another pandemic."
The development comes on the backdrop of an increase in men seeking DNA testing services to know the paternity of their children.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs last month said request for DNA tests had gone up by 70%.
Early this week, Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga warned of fake DNA results that could end up breaking families and running lives of children.
He said a big number of the laboratories carrying out DNA tests are not accredited by government to do these services and are subject to issuing fake results.
