Barely a month after one Patrick Achibong killed his four children and committed suicide over his wife’s infidelity in Eleme, men in the area are visiting hospitals to make DNA requests and to carry out paternity tests on their children.
Theportcitynews correspondent, Barikpena Dekor reports that several hospitals in the local government area say they recorded an increase in DNA requests by distraught men who want to ascertain the true paternity of their children.
Recall that Mr Achibong on December 11 strangled his four children and hung himself over suspicion that they were not his.
Neighbours said the deceased and wife had been having quarrels over the wife’s flirtatious adventures before the unfortunate incident.
Some of the hospitals visited by theportcitynews correspondent since the DNA rush became public knowledge said they get at least three DNA test requests daily.
Although the hospitals confirmed that they don’t have the required staff and equipment to undertake such tasks, they said they usually referred the said clients to bigger hospitals like the University Of Port Teaching Hospital and Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
When approached, the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital declined to comment specifically on the matter but told our correspondent that they cater to several patients and would not reel out statistics of who came for what.
However, a doctor who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said there have been recorded increase in DNA test requests but admitted that the hospital does not have the required equipment for such.
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