Probe into Mediheal Organ Trafficking Stalls Amid Political Interference

A parliamentary investigation into alleged organ trafficking at Mediheal Group of Hospitals is facing significant obstacles, raising serious questions about potential political interference and systemic shortcomings. 

With the National Assembly's Health Committee’s 90-day mandate expiring this week, progress on investigating ethical breaches in kidney transplant procedures remains minimal, despite its launch on 22 April. The inquiry, triggered by whistleblower accounts and media revelations, centres on claims of coerced organ donations, undocumented recipients, and transplant tourism involving foreign nationals at Mediheal’s Nairobi and Eldoret facilities. 

However, scheduled testimonies from crucial stakeholders, including the Kenya Tissue Transplant Authority and the Kenya Renal Association, have been either postponed without explanation or quietly removed from the committee's agenda. To date, only one witness has been interviewed. Dr James Nyikal, chair of the Health Committee, had assured a thorough report examining the legal and ethical integrity of transplant operations at Mediheal. 

Internal sources now suggest that dwindling political backing and logistical problems have hampered the committee's efforts. Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino, a committee member, insists the inquiry is still active, pending corroboration with a parallel investigation by the Ministry of Health. This separate probe, conducted by the Independent Investigative Committee on Tissue and Organ Transplant Services, has produced a report implicating Mediheal founder Dr Swarup Mishra and three senior transplant specialists in possible criminal activity. 

The report reveals that Mediheal accounted for 81% of all kidney donors and 76% of recipients across multiple institutions between 2018 and March 2025. Disturbingly, nearly 39% of recipients lacked documented residency status, and donor files often lacked verifiable identification, raising concerns about consent and legality.

The independent committee also identified troubling patterns, including the repeated use of identical signatures on affidavits and the classification of donor-recipient pairs as “mutual friends,” masking the true nature of their relationships. 

In one instance, a single surgeon and anaesthesiologist reportedly performed 24 transplants in a fortnight. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has pledged to fully implement the report's recommendations, including the continued suspension of Mediheal's transplant services and the creation of a National Organ Transplant Authority. The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has also come under scrutiny for alleged regulatory failures and potential collusion.