Parliament Begins Investigation into Alleged Illegal Organ Transplants at Mediheal
The move follows an exposé by German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), which revealed disturbing claims about illegal organ trade at the hospital.
Mediheal Hospital Eldoret Town Clinic. Photo/KBC Digital.
By Juliet Jerotich
A parliamentary investigation into alleged illegal kidney transplants and organ trafficking at the Mediheal Group of Hospitals has officially commenced.
The Departmental Committee on Health will conduct a 90-day public inquiry to look into suspected malpractice and ethical violations related to transplant procedures at the facility.
The move follows an exposé by German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), which revealed disturbing claims about illegal organ trade at the hospital. In response, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale established a 13-member task force to probe the matter.
The team, led by renowned medical researcher Prof. Elizabeth Bukusi, has been tasked with carrying out a comprehensive investigation into the allegations and assessing adherence to ethical and legal transplant protocols in all relevant health institutions.
The mandate of the task force is broad. It includes evaluating the legal and regulatory framework that governs organ and tissue transplants in Kenya, checking compliance levels across hospitals offering transplant services, and specifically scrutinizing Mediheal’s operations.
The team will also engage with donors, recipients, and medical professionals involved in kidney transplants over the past five years to uncover any signs of commercialisation, coercion, or violations of the Human Tissue Act.
The investigation comes amid serious accusations that Mediheal has been harvesting kidneys from vulnerable individuals in Kenya for as little as Ksh 294,000, then selling them overseas for up to Ksh 3.2 million.
These allegations have sparked national concern, raising questions about the safety, ethics, and regulation of transplant procedures in the country.
The outcome of the inquiry could have far-reaching implications for Kenya’s healthcare system, especially in the regulation of transplant services.
It also shines a spotlight on the need for greater oversight to protect vulnerable populations from exploitation in the medical sector.
As the probe begins, the public and various stakeholders await the findings, hoping for transparency, justice, and improved accountability in the country’s health sector.
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