Health CS Duale form 13-member team to probe Mediheal Hospital over illegal organ trade claims
Despite similar past claims having dogged the hospital with no confirmed case into the alleged illegal trade, the current turn of events against Mediheal Group of Hospitals was informed by an exposé by international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW)
Probe into the alleged illegal organ harvesting and trafficking claims against former Kesses Member of Parliament (MP) Swarup Mishra’s owned Mediheal Hospital deepened yesterday after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale formed a 13-member committee to investigate the allegations.
At the same time, Parliament and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have instituted parallel investigations into the same matter.
Despite similar past claims having dogged the hospital with no confirmed case into the alleged illegal trade, the current turn of events against Mediheal Group of Hospitals was informed by an exposé by international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW).
Mishra’s owned private hospital is accused of illegal organ transplants and trafficking.
Through a gazette notice released yesterday, Duale appointed Professor Elizabeth Bukusi to chair the Independent Investigative Committee on Tissue and Organ Transplant Services, which will conduct a thorough probe into the claims and assess compliance across all health facilities offering transplant services in the country.
The team has been directed to among other things investigate the allegations of illegal organ transplant and organ trafficking at Mediheal by talking to medical professionals involved in the process, donors and recipients over the last five years.
They are also expected to determine whether there were instances of commercialisation, coercion, organ trafficking, or violations of the Human Tissue Act.
Their mandate will further include probing all facilities offering transplant services to establish the status of compliance.
Other members of the committee include Dr. Jonathan Wala Ameyo, Prof. Ahmed Sokwala, Dr. Prexedes Okutoyi, Dr. Patrick Mburugu, Dr.
Noelle Atieno Orata, Dr. Ann Kasyoka Barasa, Dr. Diviner Kemunto Nyarera, Dr. Wendy Kimbui, Sara Talaso Bonaya, Dr. Charles Kandie, Joseph Ndirangu and Larica Onam.
The committee’s secretariat comprises Dr. Stella Kanja, Rueben Tulei and Jedidah Effie Oduor.
These developments come in the wake of serious claims that Mediheal has been harvesting kidneys from vulnerable Kenyans for Sh294,000 and selling them abroad for as much as Sh3.2million.
In response, CS Duale has suspended all kidney transplant procedures at Mediheal Hospitals until investigations are concluded.
Patients in need of transplant services have been advised to seek care at any of the eight approved facilities: Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital, MP Shah Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, St Luke’s Hospital–Eldoret, Nairobi West Hospital and Mater Hospital.
Meanwhile, the Mediheal Group has dismissed the DW report, calling the allegations false and unsubstantiated. In a statement, Mediheal founder Dr. Swarup Mishra said:
“These claims are entirely unfounded and are not supported by any credible evidence. We remain committed to delivering ethical, safe, and world-class healthcare.”
Group Vice President of Operations, Maryline Limo, also maintained the hospital’s compliance with all legal and ethical standards, stating that the institution does not engage in the commercial sale of organs.
In a further escalation, President William Ruto has suspended Dr. Mishra from his role as Chairperson of the Kenya BioVax Institute, pending the outcome of the probe.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Health has launched a parallel public inquiry into the alleged malpractice.
The investigative committee is expected to conclude its work within three months, after which a report will be submitted with recommendations on legal and regulatory reforms to enhance transparency and safeguard ethical practices in organ transplants.
