Duale urges Parliament to support Organ Transplant Bill

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale says there were allegations that Mediheal had done 476 kidney transplants. [File, Standard]

Doctors who allegedly interfered with a report on investigations of the illegal organ transplant business at Mediheal hospitals were suspended and the process redone afresh by a new committee.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale told the Senate Health Committee chaired by Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago that the government took the matter seriously given that findings by the committee could not adopted formally following the dispute.

“The report done by the committee named by my predecessor in December 2023 was not formally submitted after failing to be endorsed unanimously by all members, the recommendations done were therefore not binding and without any legal standing,” said Duale.

He has since appointed another committee that has completed investigations and is compiling its report.

The CS said there were allegations that Mediheal had done 476 kidney transplants with four doctors led by the Chairman of Mediheal Group of Hospitals under investigation over their role in this matter and that services at the facility were still suspended.

Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo wondered whether action was taken after some doctors refused to sign findings of the previous committee and whether the ministry made an effort to ensure they had given them a chance to submit a dissenting report.

“This matter is very serious since it involves human lives, we would like to know the doctors under investigation since this is a matter that has raised concerns among citizens over the likelihood of illegal organ harvesting in the country,” said Madzayo.

Duale noted that Mediheal did 476 organ transplants by March 2025 and some of the recipients were very young with significant numbers of them being citizens from US, Israel among other countries.

Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana sought to know if they were willing donors or they were coaxed while Senator Mandago wondered how the foreigners were travelling for kidney transplants given the tough restrictions limiting travel due to Covid- 19.

Duale also said his ministry is lobbying for the passing of the Human Tissue and Organ Transplantation Bill, 2024 to establish a robust legal framework for the donation and transplantation of human organs and tissues. 

He said the Bill that is before the National Assembly and aims to address the critical shortage of organs for medical needs while curbing illegal trafficking.

The CS said the Independent Investigative Committee on Tissue and Organ Transplant Services chaired by Prof Elizabeth Bukusi had completed its report which is currently being implemented by the ministry.