The National Assembly’s Health Committee has announced the commencement of an official investigation into shocking organ trafficking allegations involving Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret. The decision was made public on Tuesday, with the committee—under the leadership of Seme MP James Nyikal—promising to table its findings within 80 days.
This development comes in the wake of Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s move last week to suspend all kidney transplant procedures at the facility. The suspension followed a damning exposé conducted by German broadcasters Deutsche Welle, ZDF, and the magazine Der Spiegel, which placed Kenya at the heart of a global organ trafficking ring.
According to the joint investigation, the illicit trade involves desperate organ donors and wealthy foreign recipients, some reportedly paying up to $200,000 (approx. Ksh25.9 million) for transplants. The report highlights Mediheal as a central location where several of these transplants allegedly took place.
One case cited in the exposé involved a young Kenyan man who was allegedly paid just $4,000 (about Ksh518,120) to donate his kidney under suspicious conditions. The man claimed he was introduced to a middleman who facilitated his transportation and handed him documents written in English—a language he could not understand—to sign before the operation.
The investigative report further revealed the presence of an international syndicate that sources vulnerable donors through paid referrals, with some reportedly flown in from countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan.
As the committee embarks on its probe, the case continues to draw attention both locally and internationally, with calls mounting for greater oversight and regulation of organ transplant procedures in Kenya.
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