Donating a kidney? This is what you must consider

Dr David Kariuki, Chief Executive Officer at the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, during the Bioethics forum in Nairobi/ photo: handout

Are you considering donating a kidney? To make an informed decision,  you must understand the risks and benefits through a process known as informed consent.

Dr Mahmoud Merali, a psychologist at Aga Khan University Hospital, explained that there should be no form of coercion, even from family members.

“The decision to donate a kidney should be altruistic, where the person donating should be willing and ready to give out of goodwill. They need to understand the risks of what they are about to do before they do it from a certified psychologist,” he said.

He spoke on Thursday during a bioethics conference themed ‘Ethics and Healthcare’, organised by the Bioethics Society of Kenya (BSK) at the University of Nairobi.

He emphasised that the ethical consideration should be aimed at minimising harm to both the donor and the recipient.

Prof Merali said medical personnel should ensure that the person who has agreed to donate their kidney has been taken through necessary counselling before the practice begins at the facility.

His comments come as Kenya grapples with ethical concerns regarding human tissue donation, following allegations of kidneys for sale in one hospital.

The Bioethics Society of Kenya called on all stakeholders to adhere to ethical standards when making medical decisions and also when formulating policy standards to safeguard the rights of all.

Chief guest Dr David Kariuki, the Chief Executive Officer at the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), said health care workers should be guided by the laid-down ethical tenets when practising, to safeguard the rights of clients.

“More than 60 per cent of medical problems and cases are pegged on ethical issues; medical practitioners need to look at the ethical standards when practising to avert these problems. When you are faced with many patients at a time, try as a medical practitioner to think what is ethically right to do to be able to save all lives,” he said.

Key in the discussions was the issue of the affordability of medical care and the ethical considerations that come with it. Dr Abidan Mwachi, national chairman of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) said affordability should go hand in hand with ethical standards. He cautioned against the notion of ‘poor medicine for poor people’, which he said goes against the ethical standards that are already in place.

He said, “People should be guided by the principle of utilitarianism when providing medical help to people. They should provide equal services despite the financial situation of the client.” He further said that affordability should not compromise the quality of the medical services being offered.

Unethical practices were also pointed out in health financial practices. Dr Dynesius Nyangau noted that ethical financial requirements in health practices refer to the fair and transparent funding of healthcare to ensure equity and access for all, especially marginalised populations.

He said: "Kenya’s legal framework aligns with constitutional guarantees and global health rights, but enforcement gaps persist. Ethics must ensure financing reforms to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030."

Nyangau said this requires institutionalising ethical audits in budgeting and procurement, enhancing citizen participation, strengthening anticorruption efforts and adopting equity-sensitive allocation models.

He added: “Sustainable financing should reduce catastrophic out-of-pocket costs, thereby promoting social justice and accountability in health systems.”