Mediheal Group of Hospitals Vice President Maryline Limo has denied receiving any formal communication from the Ministry of Health (MoH) regarding the findings of an investigation into alleged organ trafficking at the hospital’s Eldoret branch.
Speaking during an interview with Spice FM on Wednesday, Limo said the hospital had only seen a press release issued the previous day. “We have not received any formal communication from them (MoH), it is just this press release that came in yesterday,” she said, adding that she would consult with the board of directors for further clarification.
The Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale had on Tuesday confirmed that Mediheal Hospital was under investigation over allegations of illegal kidney transplants involving foreign donors, particularly Israeli nationals. The probe was prompted by a complaint from the Transplantation Society, submitted in July 2023.
Following the complaint, the Ministry of Health formed a team comprising transplant specialists, ethicists, government officials, and medical regulators to investigate the matter. The team conducted a comprehensive inspection between December 5 and 8, 2023.
Their findings revealed that while Mediheal had official approval to conduct kidney transplants, several irregularities were uncovered. These included unclear relationships between donors and recipients, questionable compatibility in some transplant cases, and instances where critical medical tests were conducted in India without the Ministry’s authorization.
Additionally, the report raised concerns over the hospital performing high-risk transplants, including one involving a patient with confirmed prostate cancer. Over a five-year period, the hospital had performed 372 kidney transplants, mainly for patients from Kenya and East Africa, with a few from countries like Israel, the U.S., and the U.K.
Despite the hospital insisting that it does not source donors and encourages patients to bring relatives, the probe’s findings have underscored the need for tighter regulation. The investigative team has recommended the urgent implementation of national transplant standards, a centralized registry for all transplant services, and stricter documentation for foreign nationals seeking transplants in Kenya.
The Ministry is now expected to act on the recommendations to curb organ trafficking and prevent transplant tourism in the country.
