LSK Calls for Arrests as Mediheal Organ Trafficking Scandal Unmasks Corrupt Health System

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has called for immediate arrests following a shocking organ trafficking scandal at Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret, which has exposed deep-rooted corruption and regulatory failures in Kenya’s healthcare system. The allegations of a sophisticated network exploiting vulnerable Kenyans for illegal kidney transplants have ignited public outrage and prompted urgent demands for accountability.

LSK President Faith Odhiambo has pressed security agencies and the Ministry of Health to act swiftly, emphasizing the need to protect victims who now fear for their lives after exposing the scheme. These victims, mostly young men from impoverished backgrounds, claim they were coerced with payments as low as $2,000 to $4,000 to donate their kidneys, only to suffer health complications and threats thereafter. Some report being followed by unknown individuals, heightening fears of retaliation.

Mediheal Hospital, a well-known private institution, allegedly facilitated illegal kidney transplants, with recipients paying up to $200,000 per procedure. Investigations by international outlets, including Germany’s Deutsche Welle, ZDF, and Der Spiegel, revealed a transnational syndicate exploiting legal gaps to connect wealthy foreign patients—primarily from Israel and Germany—with desperate Kenyan donors. Around 2022, Mediheal reportedly expanded its operations globally, with an agency called MedLead orchestrating so-called “altruistic” donations that critics argue were thinly veiled commercial deals.

In response, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has suspended kidney transplant services at Mediheal and formed a 13-member expert committee, led by Prof. Elizabeth Bukusi, to audit the hospital’s transplant activities over the past five years. Duale also suspended two Ministry officials, Maurice Wakwabubi and Everlyne Chege, for allegedly ignoring earlier red flags. A 2023 Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Service (KBTTS) report had raised concerns, noting the suspicious recurrence of a single name, “Yusuf,” as the next of kin in multiple foreign patient records, suggesting organized trafficking.

The National Assembly Health Committee, under Seme MP James Nyikal, has launched an 80-day investigation into Mediheal and the broader regulation of organ transplants in Kenya. The probe aims to close loopholes enabling “transplant tourism” and organ commercialization, which violate the Health Act of 2017 prohibiting organ trade and limiting donations to altruistic or posthumous cases. Nyikal stressed the need to rebuild public trust in healthcare and safeguard vulnerable citizens exploited due to poverty.

Victims’ accounts reveal a harrowing reality. Amon Kipruto Mely, a young Kenyan, described being misled by brokers who transported him to Mediheal, where Indian doctors provided incomprehensible English documents. Paid just $4,000 instead of the promised $6,000, Mely now faces health issues that prevent him from working. Similar stories have emerged from Oyugis, a hub for donors, where brokers reportedly earn commissions for recruiting new victims, perpetuating the cycle of exploitation.

The Kenya Renal Association (KRA) has repeatedly called for Mediheal’s license suspension since May 2024, citing ethical violations. KRA chair Dr. Jonathan Wala warned that commercialization undermines voluntary donation and fuels a dangerous black market, increasing risks of human trafficking and violence. Rights groups in the North Rift have reported attempts to bribe or intimidate witnesses, leading to demands for witness protection from Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja.

Mediheal’s management, led by Vice President of Operations Maryline Limo, has denied the allegations, claiming compliance with legal and ethical standards. Limo insists patients source their own donors and that routine Ministry inspections have validated their processes. Founder Dr. Swarup Mishra, recently suspended from the Kenya BioVax Institute, invited media to inspect the facility, asserting transparency. Yet, the hospital’s failure to submit required morbidity and mortality reports casts doubt on its claimed 99% transplant success rate.

The scandal has amplified criticism of Kenya’s health system, with LSK’s Odhiambo urging stricter oversight of foreign medical practitioners and facilities to prevent Kenya from becoming a hub for illicit practices. Health Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga supported calls for regulatory reform, while Eldoret Catholic Diocese Bishop Dominic Kimengich condemned the greed fueling the trade, tying it to systemic poverty and injustice.

As the Mediheal scandal unfolds, with 372 transplants since 2018 under scrutiny, it highlights a humanitarian crisis rooted in systemic failures. The nation awaits decisive action to address how such abuses went unchecked and to implement reforms that protect the vulnerable and restore integrity to Kenya’s healthcare system.