Prof Elmi Muller, the President of the Transplantation Society (TTS) and Dr Thomas Muller, the co-chair of the Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG), wrote to Dr Maurice Wakabubwi, then acting CEO of the Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority.
The agencies that govern global transplantation became suspicious after Israeli patients returning home after kidney transplants in Kenya indicated they had received organs from donors who seemed fictitious.
“We would like to bring your attention to new information we have received concerning Israeli patients returning to their home country after receiving transplants in Kenya. It appears that an organized syndicate has successfully evaded regulations in Kenya. As is often the case with organ trafficking, there is a lack of substantial information regarding the relationship between the organ provider and the recipient,” the letter addressed read.
The two agencies indicated they believed that the description of the organ provider as “nephew” is clearly fictitious and that there would be no valid reason for the transplant not to take place in Israel if this were true.
“Our colleagues in Israel have gathered evidence indicating that several kidney transplants involving trafficked foreign kidney donors have taken place in Eldoret, especially at a clinic called Mediheal. The doctors involved are allegedly of Indian origin, while the organs are being provided by individuals from Central Asia,” the letter stated as the foreign agencies offered to assist Kenya investigate the case.
“We wish to emphasize that you are not alone in facing these ongoing challenges and that DICG has received requests for assistance from colleagues in many other countries grappling with similar reports of human trafficking or organ removal,” the letter added.
Mediheal Hospital and Fertility Centre in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Dr Wakabubwi was urged to let them know how they could support the country in rooting out organ trafficking. The letter reminded him that transplantations worldwide are guided by the Declaration of Istanbul, a comprehensive document endorsed by over 50 nations and professional organisations since 2008.
“Our organizations are dedicated to monitoring transplantation activities in different countries, with a particular focus on organ trafficking, transplant tourism and the promotion of ethical donation and transplantation practices,” the letter stated.
The Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority has since been renamed the Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Service (KBTTS).
In October, the same year, Dr Wakabubwi, wrote to the Secretary of Administration at the State Department for Medical services to request for Sh1.3 million while attaching the letter from TII as evidence of why he needed the money.
“Mediheal was approved as a kidney transplant centre by the Health ministry on November 19, 2018. The allegations, if proven true, could place the country as an organ trafficking hub, negating our good standing in this field within the region. The purpose of this letter is to request for your approval of the fact-finding mission with a budget of Sh1,285,800,” he wrote.
This led to the appointment of a 12-member committee that investigated 372 kidney transplants conducted by Mediheal since 2018.
However, the report, which had never been made public for over one year until an exposé by the Nation on Monday, has sparked controversy amid allegations the findings were doctored.
“To safeguard the integrity of the investigative process, I have also ordered the immediate suspension of Dr Wakwabubi and Dr Chege. Their suspension is intended to eliminate any potential conflict of interest and ensure that investigations proceed independently and objectively,” Mr Duale said.
In the interim, the CS appointed Dr Martin Sirengo, Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services, to take charge of KBTTS.
The committee that will inspect hospitals offering kidney transplants will review governance structures, clinical practices, ethical compliance and patient safety protocols. It is expected to submit a report within 90 days.
Mr Duale also directed the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council to immediately halt the licensing of new foreign medical practitioners, with the exception of those from the East African Community member states.
He further instructed the council to conduct an audit of all currently licensed foreign practitioners in Kenya and submit a comprehensive report to his office within 90 days.
These, he said, are measures that aim to enhance oversight and align national standards with global best practices.
The CS also suspended kidney transplant services at Mediheal. He asked all patients currently receiving or seeking kidney transplant-related care at the hospital to seek attention in other facilities. He listed Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital, M.P. Shah Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, St Luke’s Hospital–Eldoret, Nairobi West Hospital and Mater Hospital as some of the options.
Flanked by Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni and newly-appointed Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga, Mr Duale reaffirmed the ministry’s unwavering commitment to protecting the rights, safety and dignity of patients, while upholding the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and accountability in healthcare delivery.
“We are doing these things because the reports we have received are very credible, these interventions are necessary to restore order and public confidence in the health system,” he said.
