Mediheal founder faces prosecution, deportation over kidney transplant cases– CS Duale

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a stern warning to Mediheal Hospital founder Dr Swarup Mishra, threatening prosecution, revocation of citizenship, and deportation following a damning government report linking him to alleged organ trafficking and exploitation of poor Kenyans.

Speaking on Friday, Duale said the Ministry has gathered credible evidence showing that young Kenyans, particularly those from poor backgrounds, were exploited in illegal kidney transplant procedures.

He accused Mishra of using his influence and wealth to evade accountability, despite serious concerns raised in a report by the Independent Investigative Committee on Tissue and Organ Transplant Services.

“You cannot come to our country 20 years ago with a bag, make money, sell our organs, become a member of parliament, and develop a culture of impunity,” Duale said on Friday.

He described the actions uncovered in the report as an international crime and called for full accountability from security and immigration authorities.

“We will cross your hospitals and we will deport you. If it means revoking your citizenship, we will do it,” Duale said, adding that Mishra’s naturalised status made it possible under the Citizenship and Immigration Act.

The 314-page report, based on a three-month probe, exposed serious malpractice in 476 kidney transplants conducted at Mediheal between 2018 and 2024.

The committee found that 417 donor files originated from the Eldoret branch alone, and flagged missing donor nationalities in 60 cases, suggesting efforts to conceal identities.

Additionally, the report raised red flags over falsified documents, questionable consent processes, and instances where foreign patients paid premium prices while vulnerable Kenyans were offered as donors for as little as Sh400,000.

One surgeon and an anesthesiologist were reported to have operated on 24 patients in just 14 days.

Duale accused the hospital of taking advantage of NHIF loopholes to treat foreign nationals at taxpayers’ expense. “Our children, because of their social status, were abused. Foreigners used NHIF. They used public resources to make private profit,” he said.

He added that the report has been submitted to both the National Assembly and the Senate and said he expects it to be fully acted on.

“They have done a thorough job. They have told me who to punish and the gaps in legislation. I want to assure you this report will not gather dust on shelves. It will be implemented.”

Mishra, in a media statement earlier this week, denied any wrongdoing and insisted that all foreign transplant patients came with their donors. “No Kenyan organ has ever been exported. Not even one,” he said.

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• Dr Swarup Mishra
• Mediheal founder faces prosecution
• deportation over kidney transplant cases– CS Duale

He further stated that Mediheal was not involved in donor selection or commercialisation.

However, the committee’s findings have cast doubt on these claims. It called for Mishra’s prosecution alongside three senior doctors: Dr A.S. Murthy, Dr Sananda Bag, and Dr Vijay Kumar and recommended continued suspension of Mediheal pending investigations.

Among its key recommendations were the formation of a National Organ Transplant Authority, a coordination centre, and tighter regulatory measures to safeguard transplant services in the country.