A parliamentary report has set the stage for the reopening of several health facilities previously restricted over kidney transplant allegations, after lawmakers concluded that available evidence did not justify continued suspension of their general medical licences, even as they pushed for tighter controls on organ transplant services in the country.
The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health has recommended that sanctions imposed on Mediheal Group of Hospitals, St Luke’s Orthopaedic and Trauma Hospital and Oak Tree Centre for Kidney and Chronic Diseases be withdrawn, except for licences related specifically to organ transplant procedures.
The facilities had been under restriction following concerns over alleged irregularities in kidney transplant operations, which triggered investigations and regulatory action earlier in the year.
The inquiry followed an order in April 2025 by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who suspended kidney transplant services at the Eldoret-based Mediheal facility after complaints emerged over possible breaches of medical and ethical standards. Mediheal Group of Hospitals is associated with former Kesses Member of Parliament Swarup Mishra.
In its findings, the committee stated that while gaps in regulation were evident, they did not find enough grounds to sustain punitive measures against the hospitals beyond transplant-related activities. Lawmakers, however, insisted that kidney transplant services remain tightly controlled while broader investigations continue under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
The committee stated: “Any sanctions placed on Mediheal Group of Hospitals, St Luke’s Orthopaedic and Trauma Hospital and Oak Tree Centre for Kidney and Chronic Diseases, including suspension of licences, be lifted, with the exception of licences related to organ transplant,” the health committee report states.
Even with the recommendation to lift sanctions, MPs maintained that transplant operations should remain suspended pending comprehensive reforms in the health sector. They also raised concern that ongoing investigations could still uncover more details about how transplant services have been conducted across various facilities.
Lawmakers further called for accountability from state institutions accused of failing to act on earlier complaints. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority was tasked with investigating alleged failures by officers at Langas police station in responding to reports linked to suspected unethical transplant activities, including claims of intimidation of witnesses.
“The Independent Policing Oversight Authority should investigate allegations of law enforcement failures at Langas police station in addressing reports filed by the public regarding alleged unethical kidney transplant activities at Mediheal Hospital, Eldoret, alleged interference with the due administration of justice and intimidation of witnesses and their families by police officers,” the report indicates.
At the same time, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission was asked to look into possible negligence by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, amid claims that repeated complaints over alleged illegal transplant practices were not acted upon.
“The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission should investigate KMPDC’s potential regulatory failure arising from its documented failure to act upon multiple written complaints regarding alleged illegalities in organ transplants across the country.”
To prevent similar disputes in future, the committee proposed a full overhaul of transplant regulation, including a new law to govern organ, blood and cell transplantation, and the creation of a National Organ Transplant Authority, a national registry, and a transparent allocation system.
MPs also recommended coordinated inspections involving major health regulators, a centralized credentialing system for transplant professionals, structured complaint handling mechanisms, and a clear sanctions framework for non-compliance.
They further urged increased investment in transplant services, including strengthening specialist training and boosting capacity at centres such as the East Africa Centre of Excellence in Urology and Nephrology at Kenyatta National Hospital.
The report also referenced concerns raised by the Kenya Renal Association over a possible increase in kidney transplant procedures involving foreign patients, particularly Israeli nationals, raising fears of potential trafficking networks operating within the country.