Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued five fresh directives over alleged organ trafficking at Eldoret's Mediheal Hospital.
In a statement on Thursday, April 17, Duale said the directives follows recent developments on the matter and in the interest of protecting patient safety.
The new directives include the appointment of an independent expert committee to conduct an audit of kidney transplant services at Mediheal over the past five years.
According to Duale, the committee will compromise of professionals from both public and private health institutions, professional associations and regulatory bodies.
“I am appointing an independent committee of transplant experts, drawn from public and private health facilities, professional associations, and relevant regulatory bodies to undertake a comprehensive audit of all kidney transplant services at the Mediheal Group of Hospitals for the past five (5) years, with a focus on governance, clinical practices, ethical compliance, and patient safety protocols.
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"The committee will be expected to submit its report within 90 days from the date of appointment. This action is necessitated by the fact that the report of the December 2023 probe team was neither formally submitted to the Ministry nor unanimously endorsed by its members,” the statement read.
Additionally, Duale directed the immediate suspension of kidney transplant procedures at Mediheal Group of Hospitals.
The CS advised all patients currently receiving or seeking transplant-related care at Mediheal to redirect to other authorized transplant centers.
“All patients currently receiving or seeking transplant-related services at Mediheal are advised to seek care at the following eight licensed kidney transplant facilities: Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital, M.P. Shah Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, St. Luke's Hospital- Eldoret, Nairobi West Hospital, and Mater Hospital,” the statement continued.
Duale also ordered the suspension of two senior Ministry of Health officials, including the Acting Head of Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Services, to protect the integrity of the investigation process.
As such, an interim head has been appointed to oversee the operations of the Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Services.
“To protect the integrity of the ongoing process, I have also directed the immediate suspension of Dr. Maurice Wakwabubi, Acting Head of Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Services (KBTTS), and Dr. Everlyne Chege, the technical lead who chaired the Ministry's multidisciplinary probe in December 2023.
"This step is necessary to eliminate any potential conflict of interest and to ensure that further investigations proceed independently and objectively in accordance with relevant laws. Further, I have appointed Dr Martin Sirengo, Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services to take charge of Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Services (KBTTS) in the interim period,” the statement further read.
Finally, Duale instructed the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) to suspend the issuance of new licenses to foreign doctors, except those from East African Community member states.
“The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council is hereby directed to suspend forthwith issuance of new licenses for foreign Medical Practitioners in Kenya except those from the East African Community Member states until the existing standards and guidelines are reviewed to conform with international best practice. In addition, KMPDC is directed to carry out an audit of all licensed foreign medical,” the statement concluded.
