Stop Going For DNA,  Minister Muhanga Urges Men

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) paternity testing has been discouraged by the State Minister for Primary Health Care, Ms. Margaret Muhanga, who claims it is not good for the wellness of the country.

“It is not crucial [that men undergo DNA paternity tests]. That child is yours if you have reared him or her. Biology is irrelevant. In the end, nobody is seeking for him [the child]. Stay close to your youngster to maintain peace. Why even pursue it, then, if you hear of individuals killing one another over DNA? said Ms. Muhanga.

“Nothing can kill you that you don’t know about. It won’t crush your heart if you are unaware that the child in question is not your own. Your heart will break when you learn the truth, she added.
The minister was addressing yesterday in Kampala at the opening of the “Public health fellowship program-laboratory leadership programme.”

Her comments come in the wake of recent stories linking negative DNA paternity test results to domestic violence, including at least one murder that occurred last week in Mpigi District.
Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the director general for health services, said yesterday during the same occasion that laboratories doing sensitive tests need to exercise greater responsibility.

“As laboratory managers, you must understand how to share findings and which channels to use. You can’t just run the DNA [paternity] tests and tell the man who is complaining that the child is not theirs, Dr. Mwebesa stated.
Regarding the programme that was introduced, the minister stated that it will enhance both patient experiences and service delivery efficiency.

“This programme is good because it teaches inhumanity to future health professionals,” People attend training, yet occasionally they lack the necessary interpersonal skills. As a result, once they are in charge of a laboratory, they are not only taught how to run it, but also how to handle customers and coworkers, according to Ms. Muhanga.