Doctors urge organ donation to meet rising demand in India

What Happened

At a programme in Shivamogga organized to observe World Organ Donation Day, senior transplant specialists from Bengaluru and Shivamogga urged the public to consider organ donation. They highlighted that India performed over 20,000 organ transplants in 2025 and noted a continuing shortfall with more than 90,000 people on waiting lists for major organ transplants across the country as of March 2026. The doctors explained that organs from brain-dead individuals, once cleared by a panel of experts, can be donated following the appropriate timelines, with family members and relatives eligible to consent. They also reiterated that a portion of the liver can be donated by a living person, enabling recipients to lead healthier lives post-transplant. A patient from Shivamogga who received a liver transplant four months earlier—whose daughter donated part of her liver—spoke at the event to illustrate the procedure’s impact. The programme was led by Dr. K.V. Pradeep Krishna, a senior consultant at Apollo Hospitals in Bengaluru, and Dr. Pradeep Kumar J.K. of the Sushodha Institute of Gastroenterology, with Dr. Pradeep Kumar J.M., a hepatologist and endoscopist at the same institute, also in attendance.

The remarks were delivered at the Shivamogga event, which the doctors used to emphasize the importance of organ donation and to highlight NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation) data as a basis for their call to action.

Why It Matters

Experts say organ donation remains a powerful means to give patients a second chance at life, particularly as demand outpaces supply. The speakers noted significant advances in transplantation techniques, but stressed that the shortage of available organs continues to pose a major challenge for patients needing major organs such as the heart, kidneys, and lungs. The personal story shared at the event underscored how living donors can enable life-saving liver transplants, reinforcing the potential benefits of donor programs for eligible individuals and families.

Background

The event took place in Shivamogga and was part of a wider national dialogue on organ donation in India. The speakers referenced NOTTO data to frame their call for greater donor awareness. India conducted more than 20,000 organ transplants in 2025, according to the statements delivered at the press conference. The discussion also covered the process by which brain-dead donors can contribute organs after a formal eligibility review, and the possibility of living liver donation where a portion of the liver is transplanted to a recipient.

Key Facts

• India conducted over 20,000 organ transplants in 2025.
• As of March 2026, more than 90,000 patients were on the waiting list for major organ transplants nationwide.
• Brain-dead donors can donate heart, kidneys, and lungs after expert clearance, with timing critical to transplantation success.
• Living individuals may donate part of the liver for transplantation.
• A Shivamogga resident underwent a liver transplant four months prior, with donation from his daughter.
• The event featured Dr. K.V. Pradeep Krishna (Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru) and Dr. Pradeep Kumar J.K. (Sushodha Institute), with Dr. Pradeep Kumar J.M. also present.