Dr. Paul Faduola, a renowned cytogeneticist and clinical embryologist, has revealed that advancements in technology have now made it possible to achieve 99.99% accuracy in paternity testing. This breakthrough comes as paternity fraudemerges as a growing concern in Nigeria, where reports increasingly reveal that many children have been falsely attributed to men who are not their biological fathers.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the molecule responsible for carrying genetic information in organisms, plays a crucial role in identifying biological relationships. The DNA structure is composed of two intertwined strands, forming a twisted ladder shape known as a double helix, according to the National Human Genome Institute.
In a recent launch event, OncoGenomics, a molecular diagnostic center, introduced an advanced paternity testing service powered by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology. Dr. Faduola, who is also the Managing Director of OncoGenomics, highlighted how this innovation would significantly enhance healthcare delivery in Nigeria, particularly in DNA-related services.
Dr. Faduola explained that NGS surpasses traditional Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) methods, which analyze a limited number of genetic markers. In contrast, NGS examines thousands of genetic markers, ensuring a paternity probabilityexceeding 99.99%. This makes NGS particularly effective in handling degraded DNA, low-quality samples, and cases involving close relatives.
“Whether it’s degraded DNA, low-quality samples, or resolving disputes involving close relatives, NGS technology outperforms all previous methods,” said Dr. Faduola. “This technology is ideal for Nigeria’s diverse needs, ranging from family reconciliation to legal cases.”
In addition to its accuracy, NGS also offers the advantage of faster results, eliminating the need to send samples abroad. This not only reduces delays but also helps avoid the high costs associated with foreign testing.
“By conducting tests locally using NGS, we are able to provide faster, more reliable results while maintaining the highest standards of quality,” Dr. Faduola explained. “This also eliminates the substantial costs of shipping samples abroad, and the savings are reinvested within the country. We’re committed to making this service more accessible to Nigerians, ensuring it’s both affordable and secure.”
Unlike the CE method, which uses only 15 to 23 markers, NGS analyzes nearly 1,000 markers, significantly improving the accuracy and reliability of results. Dr. Faduola elaborated, saying, “In CE, results are based on just a few markers, leaving room for inaccuracies. In contrast, NGS evaluates up to a thousand markers, ensuring a more precise result and eliminating any ambiguity.”
The launch of NGS-powered paternity testing represents a major milestone in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. Dr. Faduola remarked, “Today, we proudly unveil Nigeria’s first paternity testing service powered by NGS technology. With this groundbreaking innovation, we are not only setting new standards for accuracy and reliability but also providing Nigerians with access to world-class paternity services right here at home.”
