Mediheal denies organ trafficking allegations as Health Ministry, MPs and DCI open parallel probes » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 22 – The management of Mediheal Group of Hospitals has expressed its willingness to undergo a public audit following recent allegations of malpractice and ethical violations linked to one of its facilities in Kenya.
The Hospital’s legal team stressed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and adherence to the highest standards of medical ethics.
“We are clean, our services are clean. We have all the records to prove our processes are above board. We are inviting the government to audit us. The patients are there, willing to testify. We believe that at the conclusion of the audit, we will receive a clean bill of health and continue with our services,” said the hospital’s lawyers.
This statement comes as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced that it is taking over investigations into alleged human organ trafficking at Mediheal’s Fertility and Transplant Centre in Eldoret.
Led by Director Mohamed Amin, the DCI stated that the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) will consolidate previous reports, record new statements, and conduct forensic analyses related to the claims.
The public has been urged to share any relevant information with TOCU at DCI Headquarters. The DCI has pledged a thorough and professional investigation to ensure justice is served.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has suspended all organ transplant services at Mediheal’s Eldoret branch pending the outcome of a 90-day inquiry into suspected ethical and procedural violations.
The National Assembly’s Health Committee, chaired by Seme MP Dr. James Nyikal, has launched a parallel investigation into the broader state of organ transplant services across the country, citing growing concerns about patient safety and compliance with the law.
“This is a serious matter that touches on the dignity of life and the reputation of Kenya’s medical profession. We intend to get to the bottom of it,” said Dr. Nyikal.
“We will ask critical questions: Were the procedures at Mediheal conducted in accordance with the Health Act and the Human Tissue Act? Was there any evidence of organ commercialization? Were donors properly informed, or were they coerced or misled into donating?”
The dual investigations come in the wake of mounting public concern and a recent exposé implicating Mediheal in potential violations of transplant ethics, including the alleged commercialization of organ donations and “transplant tourism”—a practice where foreign patients receive organs from local donors under questionable ethical and legal circumstances.
Mediheal Hospital, one of East Africa’s leading private healthcare providers, has been offering organ transplant services for over a decade.
The Kenya Renal Association was among the first to raise the alarm, flagging a potential organ trade network involving vulnerable donors and foreign recipients at the facility.
In a statement dated May 3, 2024, the association referenced testimonies alleging coercion, inadequate informed consent, and possible financial inducements—practices that contravene both Kenyan law and international standards on ethical organ transplantation.