Duale ordered fresh Mediheal probe after flawed first report

Health CS Aden Duale before the National Assembly's Health committee at Parliament buildings, Nairobi, on May 14, 2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

On April 17, 2025, the Ministry of Health suspended all kidney transplant services at Mediheal Group of hospitals, citing serious concerns over ethical breaches and patient safety.

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale said the suspension aimed to restore public trust and dismantle what he termed as “growing cartel-like operations” in the health sector.

The decision followed a 2023 probe by a multidisciplinary team that flagged irregularities in Mediheal’s transplant procedures.

However, that report was never officially submitted to the ministry and lacked full endorsement due to internal disagreements. “Sad to say, the report was also not submitted officially to the Ministry of Health for further action,” said Duale.

In response, the CS formed an independent expert committee to audit kidney transplant services at Mediheal over the past five years. The audit, focusing on clinical standards, ethics and governance, was expected within 90 days. The report was delivered on July 22.

Duale also suspended two senior ministry officials: Dr Maurice Wakwabubi, acting head of Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Services and Dr Evelynn Chege, Head of Technical Services at the Kenya Tissue Transplant Authority, who had led the earlier probe.

“This step is necessary to ensure further investigations proceed independently and objectively,” he said.

In June, while appearing before the National Assembly Health Committee, Duale distanced himself from the earlier report, saying it was compromised, unsigned and never officially received by the ministry.

Committee chair James Nyikal reminded Duale that while he wasn’t CS at the time, the office of the CS exists in perpetuity and must respond to institutional accountability.

“You will give us the details of who is in the team, those who dissented and why, and importantly, those who said there were orders from above to sign the altered report,” Nyikal said.

Duale insisted the 2023 report had no legal standing, citing dissent among committee members and claims that some acted under external pressure.

“The information I have is that two members later claimed the report presented was not what had been agreed upon. They refused to sign it,” he explained.

To strengthen oversight, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council was also ordered to stop issuing new licences to foreign doctors, except those from East Africa and to audit all currently licensed foreign practitioners within 90 days.

On the fate of patients possibly exploited in the process, Duale assured the public that accountability would follow based on the findings of the expert team. All eyes are now on what action the CS will take next.