Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has called for an immediate and thorough investigation into claims of organ trafficking in Kenya, urging relevant investigative agencies to probe the issue further. The call follows findings from a multidisciplinary team, which highlighted concerns about a potential syndicate operating within the country, exploiting regulatory gaps and raising suspicions of illegal organ trade.
Duale emphasized that recent allegations surrounding the transplant activities at Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret, one of Kenya’s renowned centers for organ transplants, require urgent scrutiny. He noted that some donors and recipients involved in these procedures hailed from foreign countries with more advanced health systems, but the reasons behind their involvement in Kenya’s relatively new transplant program remain unclear.
The investigation uncovered that the hospital lacked adequate documentation to verify the relationships between organ donors and recipients. Some of the records showed donors from various nationalities, further raising questions about the legitimacy of the transplants. Additionally, it was revealed that all Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) tests were conducted in India, without the necessary approval from the Ministry of Health for the shipping of human samples. There were also concerns about the lack of translation for documents, leaving foreign donors and recipients unable to fully understand the terms of the procedures.
The investigation further identified troubling practices, including high-risk transplants performed on patients with confirmed prostate cancer and elderly recipients. These transplants also occurred despite poor compatibility between donors and recipients, raising concerns about the ethics of such procedures.
In response, Duale confirmed that the Ministry of Health will carry out a comprehensive audit at Mediheal Hospital and seven other transplant facilities across the country. This audit aims to ensure that national transplant regulations are being followed.
The Ministry is also working on developing a robust regulatory and legislative framework to prevent organ trafficking and transplant tourism. By introducing National Standards and Guidelines for Transplant Services, Duale hopes to close legal loopholes and ensure the protection of both donors and recipients in the future.
