Sudhir Kumar / New Delhi
India has crossed a significant milestone in organ donation, recording more than five lakh Aadhaar-verified organ donation pledges within just three years of launching the digital pledge portal in 2023. The achievement was announced on Monday during the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day celebrations in New Delhi.
Addressing the event, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said the country has witnessed remarkable progress in organ transplantation over the last decade, with annual organ transplants now exceeding 20,000, reflecting growing public awareness and improvements in healthcare infrastructure.
The minister credited the increasing acceptance of organ donation to sustained public awareness campaigns and policy initiatives. She acknowledged the role of Narendra Modi, who has repeatedly encouraged citizens through his Mann Ki Baat programme to consider organ donation as one of the highest forms of service to humanity. The Prime Minister has also emphasised the need for safe, timely and efficient transportation of donated organs to maximise the chances of saving lives.
Ms. Patel said India has emerged as the third-largest country in the world for organ transplants, behind only the United States and China, underscoring the rapid expansion of the country’s transplant ecosystem.
She highlighted the Centre’s continued efforts under the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP), which provides financial assistance to states and healthcare institutions for strengthening transplant infrastructure. The programme supports the recruitment of transplant coordinators, facilitates transportation of organs, assists with the dignified funeral of deceased donors, and promotes successful transplantation through capacity building and specialised training of healthcare professionals.
The minister also pointed out that financial assistance for economically weaker patients undergoing organ transplantation is available through the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, ensuring that life-saving procedures become more accessible to deserving beneficiaries.
Calling for greater public participation, Ms. Patel urged citizens to voluntarily pledge their organs and contribute to giving a second chance at life to patients awaiting transplants. She stressed that expanding awareness and ensuring seamless organ transportation remain key priorities for the government.
On the occasion, the minister launched the “Jug Jug Jiyo” Campaign, a year-long nationwide initiative aimed at recognising the invaluable contribution of organ donors and expressing gratitude to their families for their life-saving decision.
She also unveiled e-Pratyaropan, India’s next-generation digital platform designed to modernise the country’s organ and tissue donation and transplantation ecosystem. The integrated platform is expected to improve transparency, coordination and efficiency across the entire transplant process, further strengthening India’s organ donation network.