DNA show to premiere on small screen

A new television show addressing DNA issues titled The Closure is set to hit the local screen starting tomorrow courtesy of Global DNA.

In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style yesterday, Global DNA principal consultant, Tinashe Mugabe said The Closure's main aim was to raise awareness on how DNA testing can positively impact and improve communities.

"The show is an attempt to address the inconsistencies surrounding DNA testing, clearing the misconceptions people have towards issues of paternity, maternity, infidelity, among others.

"Our people are pestered with numerous questions on the legitimacy of family relationships, ancestry, origins, paternity and infidelity issues, to mention a few," he said
Mugabe said there was little information about DNA testing despite the service now available in all provinces.

"This informative DNA show (The Closure)'s sole mandate is to educate the people of Zimbabwe on how DNA tests could bring answers to different individual and family pertinent issues. The show, that would focus on DNA real life issues that are prevalent in many different homes, has its own unique flavour while assisting people with paternity to bring them to a closure."

Mugabe said the show would highlight cases they would have taken on and done free of charge.

"The Closure, travels to different places both in urban and rural areas to conduct interviews after people come to us asking for assistance with their irresolute situations and most of the cases are free of charge," he said.

"One of the tests, Avancular DNA test is premised on uncle or aunt DNA testing if biological parents are not available or not willing as well, this verifies if the children are their true biological nieces or nephews."

Mugabe said the initial episode was about a paternity test where the father wanted to know if he was the biological father of the tested child.