NAIROBI, KENYA – The vast business and healthcare empire of former Kesses Member of Parliament, Dr. Swarup Ranjan Mishra, is on the brink of disintegration as auctioneers prepare to sell six of his most valuable properties in Eldoret, including core operational hospital buildings, to recover massive unpaid loans. The public auction, scheduled for Wednesday, December 10, 2025, represents the most severe escalation of the financial crisis that has engulfed the Mediheal Group of Hospitals, threatening to dismantle a significant player in Kenya’s private healthcare sector.

The move follows a protracted battle with lenders over multimillion-shilling debts. In a significant blow to Dr. Mishra, the High Court in Eldoret recently dismissed an application by Mediheal to block an auction of its properties over a KSh701 million debt owed to the Bank of India (Kenya), court documents from November 2025 revealed. The court found that the hospital had defaulted on a KSh1 billion facility secured in May 2023 and had been lawfully served with all requisite notices. This ruling has paved the way for lenders to recover their funds by targeting the group's foundational assets.

According to public notices, the properties slated for auction include a 0.5336-hectare parcel registered to Mediheal Hospital and Fertility Centre Ltd, which houses commercial buildings operating as part of the hospital. Another critical asset is a 0.2421-hectare property featuring a five-storey hospital building and a double-storey pharmacy and laboratory block. Also set to go under the hammer are a residential maisonette registered to Dr. Mishra and his wife, Pallavi, and several large parcels of farmland in Uasin Gishu County.

A Cascade of Financial and Legal Woes

The impending auction is the culmination of years of escalating financial distress for the Mediheal Group. Dr. Mishra’s wife and hospital director, Dr. Pallavi Mishra, disclosed to the National Assembly’s Health Committee in early 2024 that the institution was struggling to service huge bank loans taken for expansion. She stated that the hospital's troubles were compounded when several insurance companies, which covered civil servants, withdrew their services, leading to a sharp decline in revenue. The patient load at their flagship Eldoret branch plummeted from 500 outpatients daily to between 50 and 60.

The financial strain has had a severe human cost. Dr. Pallavi Mishra confirmed that the group was forced to terminate the employment of 2,000 staff members due to the crisis. The group has also faced legal action from its own medical personnel over unpaid dues. In Nakuru, the hospital's assets were targeted by Tango Auctioneers to recover a KSh53 million debt owed to 17 doctors, although a court later nullified that specific seizure, ruling it unlawful in January 2025.

Compounding the debt crisis are severe allegations of illegal organ trafficking. A government taskforce report submitted to the Ministry of Health in July 2025 accused Mediheal of being linked to a coordinated scheme involving illegal organ donations and inflated fees. Dr. Mishra has consistently denied these allegations, stating on July 29, 2025, that he is prepared to face legal consequences if found guilty and welcomed a thorough investigation.

The NHIF Factor and National Healthcare Implications

Mediheal’s management has partly attributed its financial woes to significant delays in payments from the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). The hospital claimed it was owed KSh51 million by the state insurer, a figure revealed during a parliamentary committee visit. This issue is not unique to Mediheal. In October 2025, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed that the NHIF left a legacy debt of KSh10 billion owed to hospitals nationwide, severely constraining the health sector. The government has since announced plans to release KSh5.3 billion to clear verified claims under KSh10 million, though it remains unclear how much of Mediheal's claim will be settled.

The potential collapse of Mediheal’s core operations in Eldoret carries significant implications for healthcare provision in the North Rift region and beyond. Once a premier facility known for specialized treatments like kidney transplants and IVF, its decline leaves a vacuum. The auction of its main hospital buildings raises urgent questions about the continuity of care for its remaining patients and the fate of its skeletal staff. The crisis underscores the fragility of private healthcare providers who rely heavily on both bank financing and timely payments from insurance schemes, including the government's. As the auction date nears, the future of Dr. Mishra's once-thriving medical empire hangs precariously in the balance, a stark cautionary tale of rapid expansion, debt, and regulatory challenges. Further investigation is required to confirm the current operational status of the Eldoret facilities and any contingency plans for patient care. Dr. Mishra and Mediheal Group could not be reached for a fresh comment on the scheduled December auction by the time of publication.