Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has taken strong action following serious allegations of organ trafficking linked to a private hospital in Eldoret.
On Thursday, April 17, Duale announced the suspension of two top Ministry of Health officials who are said to be connected to the matter.
The suspended officials are Maurice Wakwabubi, who was serving as the acting Head of the Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Services (KBTTS), and Everlyne Chege, who had been leading a multidisciplinary team from the Ministry.
This team was sent to the hospital in December 2023 to conduct an investigation into the allegations.
To maintain transparency and remove any possible interference in the ongoing probe, CS Duale has replaced Wakwabubi with Dr. Martin Sirengo.
Dr. Sirengo is the current Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services and will now take over as the acting head of KBTTS.
Duale explained that suspending the two officials is meant to avoid any conflict of interest and to ensure the investigation moves forward independently and fairly, in line with the law.
“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,” he stated.
In a related move, Duale has suspended all kidney transplant procedures at the Eldoret-based hospital with immediate effect.
This follows a wave of ethical concerns raised by medical experts and members of the public about how transplant procedures have been conducted at the facility.
He directed all patients in need of kidney transplants to seek help from any of the eight government-approved transplant centres in the country.
These are 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.
“This decision follows credible concerns from the government and citizens regarding the facility’s adherence to required ethical standards in the conduct of transplant procedures,” he said.
To get to the bottom of the issue, CS Duale has also set up an independent committee of transplant experts.
This team will include specialists drawn from both public and private hospitals, medical professional associations, and regulatory bodies.
Their main task is to conduct a full audit of all kidney transplant activities carried out at the hospital over the past five years.
The expert committee is expected to present its findings and recommendations to the Ministry within 90 days.
Duale also revealed that the previous report submitted by the Ministry’s internal team in December 2023 was never formally received nor unanimously agreed upon by its members.
This has raised further concerns about the credibility of the earlier findings.
In conclusion, CS Duale said these decisions are necessary to protect the safety and well-being of patients and to restore public confidence in the healthcare system.
He emphasized that accountability and transparency in medical procedures, especially transplants, are essential for the health sector to earn and maintain the trust of Kenyans.
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