The urgent need to democratise India’s heart transplant programme
In News
- World Organ Donation Day observed on August 13 highlights the urgent need to democratise India’s heart transplant programme.
- Current Situation:
- Heart transplantation is effective for end-stage heart failure, but access is limited, especially in eastern India.
- Organ transplant coordination is managed by NOTTO, ROTTOs, and SOTTOs.
- Challenges:
- Retrieval & transport issues — many hospitals lack NTORC designation.
- Limited air connectivity and long ground travel times hinder timely heart transplants (must occur within 4 hours of harvest).
- Delays in brain death diagnosis and lack of public awareness reduce donor conversion.
- Statistics:
- 2023: Over 1.7 lakh road accident deaths (many potential donors), yet only 221 heart transplants conducted (against an estimated annual need of 50,000).
- Way Forward:
- Expand NTORC recognition, improve air ambulance and green corridor infrastructure, enhance public education, and fund support for underprivileged patients.
- Key Message: The barrier to heart transplant access is logistical, administrative, and social, not medical.
Updated - August 14, 2025 09:50 am IST | The Hindu
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