72 percent of paternity tests in Zimbabwe show fathers raising kids who are not theirs

HARARE – Data from Global DNA Zimbabwe has revealed that 72 percent of paternity tests taken by couples in the country prove that those said to be fathers are usually raising children that are not theirs.

According to the HealthTimes, men who sought paternity tests usually found out that they had been duped by the mothers of children they thought were theirs.

“The current statistics for people who have undergone testing are both shocking and interesting,” revealed Partners Chiriseri from Global DNA Zimbabwe.

“Most clients come for paternity tests, and currently, 72% of the results issued are negative, while only 28% are positive.”

Chiriseri said that DNA tests were rarely ever wrong, as they revealed only two possible outcomes.

“Most people do DNA tests to confirm the paternity of their alleged children. This usually stems from suspicions of infidelity, particularly on the part of women, leading the alleged fathers to seek confirmation. These tests provide peace of mind to those involved,” he said.

Chiriseri also noted that DNA profiling was useful for more than just confirming the paternity of children.

“DNA samples can be banked for future identification purposes, such as in cases where human remains are unrecognizable after an accident.

“The stored profile can then be compared to recovered DNA samples for identification… in rape cases, DNA testing can help identify suspects if semen or other biological evidence is collected from victims.

“By comparing the DNA profile of a suspect to the collected sample, authorities can confirm or rule out their involvement.”