Nigerian doctors say there has been a surge in the request for DNA tests in their hospitals in recent times.
The doctors in an interview with Sahara Reporters say the increase in the requests for DNA tests began even before the ongoing paternity scandal involving the Managing Director of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Adam Nuru, and a former employee of the bank, Moyo Thomas.
A medical doctor at the National Hospital, Abuja, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there has been an increase in the rate at which people come for DNA testing at the facility.
“There is an increase in the number of people taking paternity tests because of the awareness, even privately some people call and say they want to do a paternity test, how do they go about it? Some say their friends need to take the test, so there has been an increase.”
The doctor attributed the development to several factors, including the seemingly rising cases of infidelity in marriages and the need to establish paternity as a requirement during processing for migration.
“A factor could be the increase in migration; a lot of people travel out, and relocate. Some of the countries they go to like the US, Canada, and so on request for DNA tests.
Not all of these countries but some ask for it so generally it’s (paternity testing has) been on the increase. Once in a while you get calls that people want to do a test and it was not like that two to three years ago.
People are taking paternity testing now due to the increase in infidelity among partners. Some girls, even outside wedlock, might want to pin a pregnancy on a man and even when the child is born. So, a DNA test is conducted so the man will know if the child is actually his.
Another form of DNA test can be done when the baby is in the womb, it’s not necessarily only when the child is born that it can be done.
Anytime an issue like this comes up, people tend to take action more because of the high rate of infidelity amongst Nigerians. There’s a high rate of infidelity in Nigeria, we don’t just like talking about it.”the doctor said
Also speaking, another medical doctor, Segun Bankole, said
“Paternity testing has been on the increase for more than three years. People have been requesting for paternity testing for a very long time, especially those who have divorce issues.”
