A bill meant to restrict the use of surrogacy to individuals with infertility or health challenges that prevent them from reproducing naturally was on Tuesday tabled in Uganda's parliament.

The bill also seeks to set the minimum age for surrogates to 18.

Medical practitioners who defy these provisions can be imprisoned for up to five years if the bill passes.

Medical practitioners can also be jailed for life if they use their own gametes or embryos or those not selected by their clients.

Donors must also be free of genetic diseases.

The Human-Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill was tabled by Ugandan MP Sarah Opendi and proposes more regulations for other aspects of human-assisted reproduction.

The bill also seeks to license fertility centres and regulate the donation and storage of sperm, oocytes and embryos.

The bill also seeks to introduce protections for children born through assisted reproduction.

Uganda will be global benchmark in legislating assisted reproduction if the bill is passed, Ms Opendi was quoted as saying by the private Daily Monitor newspaper.