Ranchi: National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation’s (Notto) director Dr Anil Kumar pushed for strengthening medical infrastructure and capacity building of medical professionals to plug the persisting demand in organ transplants and supply gap of deceased organ donations across the country.Kumar, attending a day-long workshop on brain stem death certification, organised by the Jharkhand State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) here on Thursday said that in every 20 minutes, a new patient adds to the organ transplant waiting list in India.“At present, over a lakh patients are in waiting list needing organ transplant in the country. However, the lack in infrastructure in hospitals across the country and various myths about organ donation among people are working as major roadblocks,” he said.In contrast to the growing demand of organ transplants due to lifestyle changes only 20,138 organ transplants performed in India in 2025. However, only over 3,500, amounting to 17% were deceased donor transplants.“Deceased organ donation is only possible only after a patient is declared brain dead, followed by consent from their families. But in many hospitals doctors do not check whether a patient is brain dead or not, subsequently missing the opportunity for organ donation and saving many lives. Apart, absence of adequate trained transplant councilors and brain stem death certification committees in hospitals also contributing to further widening of organ demand-supply gap,” Kumar added.The director emphasised that the organisation is providing trainings to more number of councilors to plug the gap.
