Parliament to issue report on Mediheal kidney transplants

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health will give a comprehensive report in a month on whether kidney transplant procedures conducted at Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret were lawful and ethically compliant.

The Committee Chairperson Dr James Nyikal who addressed Journalists in parliament buildings confirmed that the facility has performed over 470 transplants, predominantly kidney procedures, involving both Kenyan and foreign patients and donors.

Dr Nyikal who chaired a meeting with the top management and directors of Mediheal Group of Hopitals as well as transplant surgeons stated that the committee is reviewing extensive documentation submitted by Mediheal management before drawing any conclusions.

“What we can say is that transplants were going on which is not a problem, but as to whether they were proper or improper, it is difficult to say at this time until we go through all information with investigations currently underway to establish the truth of the matter,” said Dr Nyikal.

He said that the committee visited the Eldoret-based hospital after reports surfaced alleging possible illegal organ trafficking involving foreign national and that they currently have the details of the patients, their nationalities, and also those of the donors.

Dr Nyikal defended the decision to hold part of the committee’s engagements with the hospital behind closed doors, noting that patient confidentiality and ethical obligations required caution and that they have a lot of information which they are going to scrutinise keenly.

He was responding to concerns raised by Journalists as to why they were not allowed into the meeting and also in a previous one in which the committee had invited Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale for discussion over the matter that has raised national concern.

“The reason as to why we have held this meeting in camera is because it is not wise to reveal to people’s names, when they were sick, where they were operated on and what they were operated for, some patients are not willing to give such information publicly,” said Dr Nyikal.

The Seme MP argued that the in-camera approach was also necessary to avoid misinterpretation of preliminary findings and that premature reporting of incomplete assessments could distort public understanding of the sensitive matter which is currently under investigation.

Dr Nyikal called on the media to support transparency by reporting contextually and comprehensively once the investigation is completed and they must give everything not just the most exciting part so that the public receives the true picture of the matter at hand.

The Seme MP said that the House team has also taken into account interviews with several patients they met in Eldoret City acknowledging some were accompanied by Mediheal representatives and that they saw at least four patients.

“We take into consideration that four patients came with Mediheal representatives but they provided information and we have it, however the committee has not yet spoken directly to foreign donors a key issue at the heart of the trafficking allegations,” said Nyikal.