NAIROBI – Under the glare of public scrutiny and mounting political pressure, one of Kenya’s leading private hospitals has broken its silence.
Mediheal Group of Hospitals, at the centre of an organ transplant controversy, now insists its procedures comply with Kenyan law and international medical ethics. The hospital has been accused though not formally charged of carrying out kidney transplants under questionable circumstances, possibly involving vulnerable donors and foreign recipients.
“We conduct ourselves with the highest standards,” said Dancel Njoroge, Deputy Operations Manager at Mediheal. “All organs are donated voluntarily, without coercion. We follow the Health Act, 2017, World Health Organization guidelines, and best global practices.”
Njoroge was responding to a recent media exposé that alleged some donors may have been from disadvantaged backgrounds and possibly lured into giving up kidneys in exchange for money something that would be illegal under Kenyan and international law. The report also raised questions about the presence of foreign transplant recipients at Mediheal’s facilities, with little transparency on how they were matched with donors.
Njoroge dismissed the claims, saying Mediheal does not arrange matches between donors and recipients. “All individuals came to us as existing pairs,” he said. “We don’t involve ourselves in how they met or made their agreements.”
He added that every transplant goes through a strict vetting process. “We require affidavits from both parties, confirming they’ve made independent, informed decisions. We assess their compatibility and provide full medical and psychological counselling.”
The hospital also denied any financial incentive was offered to donors. “Our charges are for medical care only surgery, ICU, pharmaceuticals, professional fees. Nothing beyond that,” said Njoroge.
Still, concern remains.
The National Assembly’s Health Committee has opened a 90-day inquiry into transplant practices at private hospitals, including Mediheal. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is also probing whether any laws were broken in the process.
A parliamentary source, who asked not to be named as they are not authorised to speak publicly, said the investigation would cover “alleged loopholes in transplant approvals and the role of private hospitals in potentially exploiting donors.”
Mediheal says it welcomes the scrutiny. “We are licensed, accredited, and regularly audited by regulators like the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council and the Ministry of Health,” said Njoroge. “We keep thorough documentation and submit cases for pre-authorisation where required.”
According to data shared by the hospital, 98% of transplant patients survive the first 30 days, with a 93% five-year survival rate. Graft survival stands at 95.8%, it said figures the hospital claims rival leading centres in the US, Australia, and Thailand.
Mediheal also highlighted its modern renal unit, equipped with fourth-generation genetic testing and HLA matching, which has attracted international patients seeking high-quality care at lower cost.
But rights groups and some lawmakers have called for a deeper look not just into Mediheal, but into Kenya’s broader transplant oversight. They say the country’s laws, though clear, may not be strong enough to prevent commercial trafficking or protect vulnerable citizens.
As the investigations begin, the broader question lingers: in a healthcare system grappling with inequality, can ethical lines around organ donation truly be maintained?
For now, Mediheal is standing firm. But it’s not just medicine on trial it’s trust.
