Transplanting HOPE

Though organ donation is the need of the hour in India, the demand for organs far outstrips the supply. Examine the strategies that the industry must employ to tide over this shortage and save lakhs of lives

- MANJUSHA ANIL

Shortage of organs available for transplantation is a serious issue in India. This deficit has led to the exploitation of poor, vulnerable sections and gender inequality through illegal organ trade and transplant tourism.

Regarding the absolute number of transplants, India is the second largest country. However, the number of donations by deceased donors is significantly low. India's organ donation rates are extremely low, 0.86/per million population (PMP), compared with Spain (41.9/PMP), the US (36.9/PMP), and the UK (21.6/PMP), informs Dr Anil Kumar BT, HOD & Senior Consultant Nephrologist & Chief Transplant Physician at BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Bengaluru. Elaborating on this concerning fact, Dr Professor Darius F Mirza, Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospital, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, says, "Northern Spain is functioning at a level of almost 100 cadavers PMP, but we in India, are struggling to go between 0.5 to one donor PMP."

Dr Anil Kumar

BT, HOD & Senior Consultant Nephrologist & Chief Transplant Physician at BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Bengaluru 

As per the Union Health Ministry's website, of the 15,556 organ transplants in India in 2022, only 2,765 organs came from deceased donors despite efforts being made to increase cadaver organ donations.

Though about five lakh Indians face organ failure annually, less than three percent receive organ transplants. It is estimated that around two lakh patients die of liver failure or cancer annually, of which about 15 percent may be saved with a liver transplant on time. Out of approximately 30,000 liver transplants required annually, only about 2,000 are being carried out. Similarly, less than 10,000 renal transplants are done in India, while about 1.8 lakh patients suffer from renal failure.