Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has revealed how two officials from the Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Services interfered with the findings of a Ministry of Health committee that had been formed to investigate alleged illegal organ transplants at Mediheal Hospital.

Appearing before the parliamentary Health Committee, Duale said the two officials tampered with the committee's final report, prompting some members of the team to decline to sign the document, rendering it unofficial and without any legal or administrative standing.

"The report of this committee was not signed by all the members because it was doctored. The whole team agreed on a report, but when it came time for signing two members decided to oppose it saying that it was not their report," said Duale.

He explained that the initial committee was composed of transplant specialists, bioethicists, officials from KBTTS and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, senior ministry officials, and academic experts.

Although the team completed its investigations, the lack of consensus meant the report could not be formally submitted or acted upon by the Ministry.

"While the initial team completed its deliberations, the report produced was not endorsed unanimously due to significant dissenting views among the team members. Furthermore, the report was not formally submitted to the Ministry of Health for consideration or action," Duale said.

"As a result, the findings and recommendations from this report are deemed non-binding and without legal or administrative standing."

In response, he said the ministry suspended the two KBTTS officers linked to the report tampering and established a new Independent Investigative Committee on Organ Transplant Services (IICOTS) to carry out fresh investigations.

The new committee is expected to submit its final report by July 22, 2025.

Duale emphasized the seriousness of the issue, stating, "The people who committed, facilitated and aided organ trafficking in the country should be looked for. I have an obligation to protect the health of the people."

The initial report, although ultimately rejected, had cleared Mediheal Hospital of wrongdoing.

However, it acknowledged suspicious activity that needed deeper investigation, particularly the repeated appearance of the name "Yusuf" as a next of kin in several files of foreign recipients and donors.

The report also raised concerns over the lack of clarity on why foreigners travelled to Kenya for kidney transplants and noted that all surgeries involving foreign patients were cash-based.

While Mediheal was said to have obtained donor consent in all sampled files, witnessed by advocates and translated to the donor’s language, the committee warned against the potential exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

"The Ministry of Health awaits a report by the IICOTS by the end of July 2025, at which point we shall act upon its recommendations," Duale said.