Organ transplantation status in India
23.06.2025 - The Hindu
Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)
- Lacked in-house Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) cross-matching laboratory facilities.
- The dependency on external laboratories was causing significant delays and logistical challenges in the transplantation process.
Compiled by
The report compiled by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation
Challenges
- Scarcity of dedicated and trained transplant surgeons, nephrologists, urologists, anaesthetists, neurosurgeons/neurologists and intensivists within the government hospitals
- Frequent transfer of trained personnel, was disrupting the continuity and establishment of transplant programmes
Transplants performed by organ in 2024
August 2025
Recognise organ transplant as a lifeline 1
In India, more than half a million lives are lost every year for lack of a suitable donor organ.
The number of organ transplants have risen from 4,990 in 2013 to 18,378 in 2023. This includes the deceased organ donors after brain death.
The Indian organ donation rate per million population is only 0.8, while it is 45 per million population in Spain and United States of America.
Reasons for this gap
- Deep seated myths and misconceptions that discourage families from consenting to donation after a patient's death.
- Families believe that donating one's organ disfigures the body, preventing proper funeral rites.
- Worry about the deceased person's physical integrity and violating religious traditions.
- Some families also fear that hospital staff might prematurely declare brain death just to harvest organs.
- Declaration of brain death requires strict adherence to a structured legal and clinical framework established under - Transplantation of Human organs and Tissues Act, 1994
Presumed consent
- Presumed consent, adopted in countries in Europe such as Spain, Croatia with significant success in organ transplantation.
- under this system, every adult is considered an organ donor, unless they register an objection.
Arguments supporting organ donation
Organ donation is a profound act of charity, noblest legacy one can leave in this earth.
Every eligible adult must register as a donor, every family must pledge to respect their decision.
World Organ Donation Day - August 13th
Justice and Gender Equality 1
Recent advisory of NOTTO
- The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)'s advisory, "Women patients and relatives of deceased donors awaiting transplants will get priority as beneficiaries." But there is no clarity as of who will be considered as relatives.
Women comprises of very less in case of receiving organs
According to NOTTO's data, there is a gender skew in organ transplantation.
In 2023, women constituted 63% of all living donor transplants, yet they comprised of only 24% for heart 47% for lung 37% for kidney 26% for pancreas 30% for liver transplantation.
In the past five years, women contributed to 36,038 of the 56,509 living organ donations in India, according to British Medical Journal, but benefitted only in 17,041 organ cases.
Current exception only for health reasons
Current organ allotment protocol do not allow for prioritising any one recipient over another, except on the grounds of health.
