Members of Parliament on Tuesday began an 80-day inquiry into allegations of organ trafficking at Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret, as the hospital’s founder, former Kesses MP Dr Swarup Mishra, strongly denied the accusations.
The National Assembly Health Committee, chaired by Seme MP Dr James Nyikal, said the probe would begin immediately. This follows public uproar triggered by a Nation exposé detailing how senior Health Ministry officials allegedly doctored an initial investigation report into the scandal.
Health Committee chairperson in the National Assembly Dr James Nyikal.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Dr Nyikal described the allegations as serious and stressed the need for a comprehensive investigation to protect lives and restore dignity to the medical profession. “We will get to the bottom of it,” he said during a press conference at Parliament Buildings. “This is a serious matter that not only touches on the dignity of life but also the integrity of Kenya’s medical profession.”
Meanwhile, Dr Mishra told Nation that the hospital had “nothing to hide.”
“This is a plot by both political and non-political enemies who want to bring me down,” he said. “I have said it before – in Kenya, people would chase away Jesus and tell Him to leave. In the name of God, I swear I am not guilty. Mediheal has never been involved in any form of organ trafficking. This is a conspiracy to finish me.”
He invited journalists and his accusers to visit Mediheal facilities, including the Eldoret branch currently under investigation.
“Visit Mediheal and talk to patients who have benefitted from our services. We are an open book and ready to provide any information because our goal is to protect, preserve, and save life - not destroy it,” he said.
The entrance to Mediheal Hospital and Fertility Centre in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Mr Conrad Maloba of Conrad Law Advocates LLP, representing Mediheal Group of Hospitals, also defended their client, asserting they were ready for any audit.
“We acknowledge the Health Ministry has noted the allegations. On government instructions, we have suspended all transplant services and are fully cooperating with the audit, which is set to begin shortly,” said Mr Maloba.
He added that journalists and members of the public were invited to tour Mediheal facilities today. “We want them to engage with our specialist doctors, administrators, and patients. Our processes are clean, and we have the records to prove it. We are confident the audit will clear us, allowing us to resume operations,” he said.
At the same time, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, while touring the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), put the regulatory body on notice over licensing of foreign doctors, some of whom have reportedly been banned in countries such as India.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale addresses journalists at Afya house, Nairobi, on April 17, 2025.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
“We must dismantle cartels and clean up the health sector. Where was the leadership when someone was trafficking organs in Eldoret? KMPDC was there,” Mr Duale said.
“These are very poor Kenyans. Someone offers them Sh500,000 and takes their kidney - that is deeply immoral.”
He also criticised the licensing of individuals and facilities without proper accreditation from pharmacy and laboratory boards.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga echoed the CS’s remarks, underlining the importance of regulation in the health sector.
“Regulation is not just administrative; it underpins scientific and ethical standards. The council plays a critical role in generating backbone data, maintaining registries, and aligning practices with national priorities,” Dr Oluga said.
MPs said the inquiry, to run parallel with an executive-led audit, will examine the effectiveness of existing legal frameworks governing organ transplantation and assess the performance of regulatory bodies, including the Ministry of Health, KMPDC, and the Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority (KTTA).
“Have our institutions failed in their duty to protect Kenyans from exploitation?” posed Dr Nyikal. “We want to know whether the Ministry of Health and KMPDC acted promptly on any warnings.”
To gain comparative insights, the committee will consult international transplant and ethics experts. Dr Nyikal said the goal is to identify legal, systemic, or institutional gaps that may have allowed the alleged violations to occur.
The committee will recommend reforms to transplant regulations and propose disciplinary actions against any individuals or institutions found culpable - a move aimed at restoring public trust in Kenya’s organ donation system.
“As we carry out this inquiry, our objective is not merely to punish wrongdoing but to strengthen our systems,” said Dr Nyikal. “We want to ensure Kenya’s health sector is safe, ethical, and internationally respected.”
The inquiry will also examine whether unethical practices or oversight failures were allowed to persist at Mediheal Hospital, and whether any earlier complaints or warning signs were ignored.
MPs will assess transplant activities, licensing, auditing, and monitoring mechanisms. They will also evaluate the ethical and legal compliance of Mediheal’s kidney transplant services and recommend necessary policy and legal reforms.
