Over 61,000 wait for kidney transplants
A parliamentary committee report reveals a massive shortage of kidney transplants in India, with over 61,000 patients waiting for organs. The report calls for expanded infrastructure and behavioral campaigns to address the low rate of deceased-donor donations.
Why it matters
The widening gap between organ demand and supply highlights critical systemic failures in healthcare access and public awareness regarding organ donation in India.
NEW DELHI: India faces a widening gap between demand for kidney transplants and the availability of donor organs, with 61,668 patients on the waiting list, nearly five times the number of kidney transplants performed as of Feb 9, a parliamentary standing committee has said.The committee on health and family welfare has recommended that kidney transplant facilities be expanded to at least three govt medical colleges in large states and one in every small state and UT, besides setting time-bound targets to increase organ retrieval centres and transplant infrastructure, particularly in underserved and hilly regions.India performed 11,558 living-donor and 1,918 deceased-donor kidney transplants in 2024, while 61,668 patients remained on the waiting list as of Feb 9.
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