Mediheal Hospital’s Organ Trafficking Witnesses Now Say Their Lives Are In Danger

Eldoret witnesses demand private hearings as intimidation fears mount in ongoing probe

ELDORET, Kenya – Witnesses in the explosive organ trafficking investigation targeting Mediheal Hospital are now demanding private hearings, citing escalating fears for their safety and claims of direct intimidation by medical facilities implicated in the scandal.

The development has cast a shadow over the independent committee’s public hearings in Uasin Gishu County, where several potential witnesses have refused to testify openly, alleging they face pressure to withdraw their evidence.

Speaking anonymously to investigators, multiple witnesses have reported being approached by representatives of hospitals named in the probe, with some claiming they were pressured to retract their testimonies.

“The matter is very sensitive and I will only give evidence in private,” one witness told the committee after signing a consent form, reflecting the climate of fear that has emerged around the investigation.

The intimidation claims have forced the independent committee, chaired by Professor Elizabeth Bukusi, to establish alternative channels for testimony collection, including private sessions and remote communication options.

Professor Bukusi acknowledged the gravity of the situation during the second day of hearings at Eldoret West Market Social Hall, assuring potential witnesses that their safety would be prioritized.

“The committee does not anticipate any risks to participants, but if any arise, care will be taken to inform and protect them,” she stated, while emphasizing that both public and private testimonies would be accepted.

The committee has established a dedicated phone line and email system to allow witnesses to come forward safely, recognizing that the intimidation fears could compromise the investigation’s effectiveness.

Mediheal Fertility and Transplant Centre in Eldoret remains at the epicenter of the allegations, with claims that the facility performed kidney transplants for foreign patients under suspicious circumstances.

Dr. Swarup Mishra, founder of the Mediheal Group of Hospitals, appeared before the committee and disclosed that since 2018, the hospital has conducted 476 kidney transplants – 371 for Kenyan patients and 105 for foreigners.

The hospital charges $35,000 (Sh4.5 million) for foreign patients and $25,000 (Sh3.2 million) for African patients, with Dr. Mishra maintaining that their mortality rate remains below 10 percent.

Despite being at the center of the storm, Mediheal has categorically denied any wrongdoing and expressed full cooperation with the investigation.

Mediheal’s lawyer, Katwa Kigen, told the committee: “We will provide all the material needed for the committee to review the transplants conducted at Mediheal. We have made our position clear and submitted all documents regarding kidney transplants.”

The hospital maintains that its procedures undergo regular government audits and quality control assessments, and that it offers discounted services to local patients through its Corporate Social Responsibility program.

The probe was launched by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale following widespread reports of kidney trafficking and unethical transplant practices.

The investigation aims to review Kenya’s legal and regulatory framework for organ transplants while examining ethics, governance, and clinical practices in hospitals offering such services.

The committee has been allocated significant resources and time, with four full days dedicated to Eldoret hearings alone due to the severity of the allegations.

The Eldoret hearings represent just one phase of a comprehensive 18-day investigation spanning nine counties.

The committee has already conducted sessions in Vihiga County and plans to visit Bomet, Meru, Kisii, Nakuru, Kisumu, Nairobi, and Mombasa.

Over 380 files have reportedly been handed to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as part of the broader probe into alleged organ trafficking networks.

The investigating committee is expected to submit its final report to the Health Cabinet Secretary by July 22, 2025.

The report will likely include recommendations for strengthening Kenya’s organ transplant regulations and addressing any criminal conduct uncovered during the investigation.

The emergence of witness intimidation claims adds a new dimension to what was already a complex investigation, raising questions about the extent of the alleged trafficking network and the lengths to which implicated parties might go to obstruct justice.

As the probe continues, the committee faces the dual challenge of uncovering the truth while ensuring the safety of those brave enough to come forward with evidence in what has become one of Kenya’s most significant medical scandals.

The investigation has already sent shockwaves through Kenya’s medical community and raised serious questions about oversight of organ transplant procedures in the country’s private healthcare sector.