Mediheal Dismisses Organ Trafficking Allegations, Says MOH Report Misleading
its founder and chairman Dr. Swarup Mishra and his lawyer Katwa Kigen overruled claims that the hospital had not submitted sufficient documents in an inquiry.
The hospital maintains complete adherence to medical ethics and legal norms in all its transplant surgeries. Photo Courtesy.
By Juliet Jerotich
Mediheal Hospital Group of Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, has categorically refuted organ trafficking allegations against it, criticizing the Ministry of Health (MOH) for releasing what it terms misleading information about its practice of kidney transplants.
In Nairobi on Tuesday, its founder and chairman Dr. Swarup Mishra and his lawyer Katwa Kigen overruled claims that the hospital had not submitted sufficient documents in an inquiry. Mediheal, the hospital has supplied all documents needed detailing 476 kidney transplant operations successfully carried out since 2018, its founder Dr. Mishra said.
“Such false claims going viral on social media about missing or incomplete documents are completely unfounded. We have furnished all such documents that were mandated by the investigation agencies,” retorted Dr. Mishra. “It is unfortunate that such unfounded information is being released, damaging our hospital’s reputation.”
Mediheal’s management argues the hospital is being preemptively declared guilty before the official release of findings of the independent inquiry committee on organ tissue transplant. Dr. Mishra highlighted that despite months of interrogation, the hospital has not received a formal report from the Ministry of Health stating the result of the investigation.
The hospital maintains complete adherence to medical ethics and legal norms in all its transplant surgeries. As Dr. Mishra told us, every kidney donation carried out at the hospital entails full informed consent from donors and verified next of kin. “We have never been accused of any form of organ trafficking or unethical medical practice,” he claimed.
The scandal followed the establishment of a task force by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to investigate organ transplant procedures across the nation. Upon carrying out its investigation, the task force invoked prosecution of Dr. Mishra and Mediheal’s management for alleged irregularities in kidney transplant operations.
But Mediheal maintains that in the absence of transparency and release of official findings, such suggestions are hasty and unjust. The hospital has appealed to the government to adhere to due process and avoid issuing public pronouncements which can taint the image of healthcare institutions.
“Thousands of patients have been treated by our hospital with professionalism and integrity. It is but just that we be held accountable only by factual, verifiable evidence and not hearsay,” said lawyer Katwa Kigen.
Mediheal reaffirmed its readiness to cooperate in any legal investigation while continuing to provide quality medical service to patients in need of life-saving transplants.
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