Bill restricts surrogacy

A Bill meant to restrict the use of surrogacy to individuals with infertility or health challenges that prevent them from reproducing naturally has been tabled in Uganda's Parliament. It also seeks to set the minimum age for surrogates at 18. BBC News reports that medical practitioners who defy these provisions can be imprisoned for up to five years if the Bill passes. They can also be jailed for life if they use their own gametes or embryos or those not selected by their clients. The Human-Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill was tabled by MP Sarah Opendi and proposes more regulations for other aspects of human-assisted reproduction. It also seeks to license fertility centres and regulate the donation and storage of sperm, oocytes and embryos. Uganda will be a global benchmark in legislating assisted reproduction if the Bill is passed, Opendi was quoted as saying by the Daily Monitor.