Parliament recommends lifting all suspensions on Mediheal Hospital except organ transplant licences
Parliament recommends lifting all suspensions on Mediheal Hospital except organ transplant licences
Members of Parliament have recommended that all suspensions and sanctions on Mediheal, St. Luke’s and Oak Tree Centre hospitals be lifted following allegations of organ harvesting.
The Departmental Committee on Health, in a report tabled on Wednesday, found no evidence of ethical violations in kidney transplant procedures at the hospital, bringing to a close a probe that lasted nearly a year.
The inquiry was launched in April 2025 after Health CS Aden Duale ordered the suspension of kidney transplant services at the hospital over allegations of misconduct. The committee, chaired by lawmaker James Nyikal, was tasked with investigating claims of professional and ethical breaches.
In its findings, the committee recommended that all sanctions imposed on Mediheal be lifted, effectively allowing the facility to resume normal operations.
The lifting of sanctions also extends to two other Eldoret-based facilities, St Luke’s Orthopaedic and Trauma Hospital and Oak Tree Centre for Kidney and Chronic Disease, which had been affected during the probe.
Despite clearing the hospitals, restrictions on organ transplant licences remain in place, with lawmakers calling for sweeping reforms in the regulation of organ and tissue transplant services in the country.
“Any sanctions placed on the Mediheal Group of hospitals, St. Luke’s Orthopaedic and Trauma Hospital and Oak Tree Centre for Kidney and Chronic Disease, including suspension of licences, be lifted, with the exception of licenses related to organ transplant,” the report read in part.
The committee proposed the enactment of a comprehensive law to govern blood, cell, and organ transplants, including the establishment of a National Organ Transplant Authority, a national registry, and a transparent allocation system.
It also urged the Ministry of Health to fast-track regulations under the Health Act, strengthen oversight agencies, and develop a national transplant policy aligned with universal health coverage goals and international standards.
Further recommendations include the creation of a joint inspection framework among regulatory bodies, increased funding for transplant infrastructure, and expansion of specialised training.
Lawmakers specifically called on the National Treasury to prioritise funding for the East Africa Centre of Excellence in Urology and Nephrology at Kenyatta National Hospital to boost capacity and training of specialists.
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The committee also urged the Ministry of Health and county governments to address the shortage of transplant experts through a national human resource strategy and increased investment in public health facilities.
To improve access, it recommended a review of transplant coverage under the Social Health Authority, alongside a nationwide public awareness campaign to promote organ donation and address cultural and religious concerns.
The statement comes after a fact-finding mission by the Kenya Renal Association revealed details on a possible organ trafficking involving foreign nationals.
The association highlighted a suspicious spike in kidney transplants involving Israeli nationals in Kenya, suggesting the existence of an international syndicate bypassing local health regulations.
In light of this, CS Duale appointed an independent committee to audit all kidney transplant services at MediHeal Hospitals for the past five years. He also suspended all transplant services at the hospital until the probe is complete.
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