NAIROBI– In a bold step toward accountability and reform, Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Dualle today inaugurated the Independent Investigative Committee on Tissue and Organ Transplant Services in Kenya. The event, held at Afya House Nairobi, follows a Gazette Notice No. 78 dated 23rd April 2025, and comes in the wake of grave allegations of malpractice and ethical violations at Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret.

The committee, chaired by renowned medical ethicist and academic Professor Elizabeth Bukusi, has been tasked with leading a thorough and impartial investigation into the kidney transplant scandal that has rocked the nation’s healthcare system.

The CS emphasized the moral and civic responsibility of the committee, describing the moment as a national reckoning.

“On 17th April 2025, I addressed the nation following deeply troubling allegations of malpractice and ethical breaches in kidney transplant procedures at Mediheal Hospital – Eldoret. These allegations challenge the integrity of our health system and raise profound questions about ethics, regulation, and the sanctity of human life,” said CS Dualle.

Health CS Aden Duale on Friday inaugurated an Independent Investigative Committee, chaired by Prof. Elizabeth Bukusi, to probe alleged malpractice in organ transplants at Mediheal Hospital.

The committee has three months to deliver a report that will help restore trust in… pic.twitter.com/X6kq4ySlod

— Frontier Online (@FrontierOnlineK) April 25, 2025

In constituting the committee, CS Dualle stressed that the government’s focus is not on optics or bureaucracy but on uncovering the truth and delivering transformative justice. The committee has three months—until 22nd July 2025—to submit a detailed report with actionable recommendations.

The scope of the committee’s mandate is comprehensive and ambitious. It includes:

• Reviewing Kenya’s policy, legal, and ethical frameworks governing organ and tissue transplant services;

• Conducting physical audits of all transplant facilities nationwide;

• Investigating specific allegations at Mediheal, including potential organ trafficking, coercion, unethical matching, and legal violations;

• Scrutinizing donor-recipient documentation and governance systems over the past five years.

“No stone must be left unturned,” the CS urged, adding that the safety, dignity, and rights of all parties involved must be protected throughout the process.

Presided over the inauguration of the Independent Investigative Committee on Organ Transplant Services, chaired by Prof. Elizabeth Bukusi, a leading expert in medical ethics.

The Committee has three months to conduct a full, impartial inquiry into malpractice allegations at… pic.twitter.com/PQyRLwHDzt

— Hon. Aden Duale, EGH (@HonAdenDuale) April 25, 2025

As a precautionary measure, all organ transplant services at Mediheal Hospital remain suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. The Ministry has also ensured that all patients in need of transplant services are referred to the seven nationally accredited facilities: Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, MP Shah Hospital, Tenwek Hospital, and Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.

CS Dualle reaffirmed his commitment to act decisively, transparently, and in the best interest of the Kenyan people. “This Committee carries the hopes of a nation on its shoulders. We will not shield wrongdoing. We will not entertain impunity. And we will not fail in our duty to protect life and uphold the law,” he said.

Also present at the inauguration were Principal Secretaries Dr. Ouma Oluga (Medical Services), Ms. Mary Muthoni (Public Health), and Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth. Dr. Oluga echoed the importance of impartiality, urging the committee to provide recommendations that can shape clinical workflows and enhance health service delivery across the country.

This move signals a commitment by the Ministry of Health to restore trust in Kenya’s healthcare system—not through convenience, but through courage, truth, and service.