Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale has today inaugurated an independent investigative committee to look into the issues surrounding tissue and organ transplant services in Kenya following allegations of organ trafficking at Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret.
The 13 member team chaired by Prof. Elizabeth Bukusi has been mandated to conduct the probe following Gazette Notice No. 78, dated 23rd April 2025.
According to CS Duale the inauguration marks a pivotal moment in restoring the public trust in the healthcare system calling the committee’s mandate historic civic duty.
“These allegations are not just about one institution. They challenge the integrity of our health system, and they raise very profound questions about ethics, regulations, and the sanctity of human life.”
“In the spirit of protecting public interest and restoring trust, I took immediate action to constitute and gazette this independent investigative committee, tasked with conducting a full, impartial, evidence-based inquiry into this matter.”
The committee has been given three months to complete their investigation and submit a detailed report with concrete recommendations.
In addition to investigating the specific allegations of potential organ trafficking, coercion, unethical practices, and violations of national and international laws, the committee is tasked with reviewing Kenya’s policies, legal, and ethical frameworks governing organ and tissue transplant services.
The committee is also expected to conduct physical audits of all transplant facilities across the country and carry out a comprehensive review of all relevant documents, including donor-recipient consent forms, as well as the governance systems in place over the past five years.
Bukusi who is a Senior Principal Clinical Research Scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Professor at the University of Washington reassured the Kenyan Public that her team is up to the task of fulfill its mandate.
“I would like to affirm that we are going to work as a team and we will deliver on the detailed terms of reference that have been assigned to us. I commit that team my and I will observe the highest levels of ethics, professionalism in the execution of this mandate that you have given us. We shall endeavor to give all parties a fair hearing and we will be guided by the existing laws, policies and guidelines.”
As the committee fulfills its mandate, all organ transplant services at Mediheal have been halted, instead the Ministry of Health has asked Kenyans to visit other accredited facilities that offer transplant services such as Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), the Aga Khan University Hospital, the Nairobi Hospital, MP Shah Hospital, Tenwek Hospital, and the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The Cs urged the committee to maintain full transparency throughout the investigation and emphasized that the public’s trust in the healthcare system can only be restored if the committee’s actions are guided by integrity and openness.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is a moment of recovery. We are not just investigating a hospital, but we want to rebuild the trust of Kenyans in the health care system. Trust is not granted. It is earned through truth, accountability, and through reforms. This committee is a critical part of that process.”
