India Marks Organ Donation Day with New Digital Push

Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said the NOTTO-ROTTO-SOTTO network now covers 31 States and Union Territories, making coordination faster and more effective.

India marked the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day with a renewed focus on saving more lives through stronger awareness, improved technology and better access to organ transplantation. The national event, organised by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in New Delhi, honoured deceased organ donors and their families while unveiling several initiatives designed to make the country's organ donation system more transparent, efficient and accessible.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel described organ donation as one of the greatest acts of compassion, saying every donated organ offers a second chance at life for patients battling serious illnesses. She thanked the families of deceased donors whose selfless decisions have strengthened India's organ donation movement and inspired thousands of others to come forward.

The Minister highlighted the remarkable growth in public participation, revealing that more than five lakh Aadhaar-verified organ donation pledges have been recorded since the launch of the national digital pledge portal in 2023. She also noted that organ transplants in India have increased from 4,990 in 2013 to over 20,000 in 2025, making it the highest annual total ever recorded. India now ranks third globally in total organ transplants, though the gap between patients waiting for organs and available donors remains a major challenge that requires continued public support and awareness.

New Digital Platforms to Strengthen Transplant Services

The event witnessed the launch of several initiatives designed to improve coordination across the country's transplant network. The Government introduced 'e-प्रत्यारोपण', a unified digital platform connecting hospitals, doctors, donors, recipients and administrators through a single transparent system that manages registrations, waiting lists, organ allocation and monitoring.

A new NOTTO Mobile Application was also launched to make organ donation services and information more accessible to citizens and healthcare professionals. Alongside these digital reforms, the Government released the National Brain Stem Death Certification Guidelines and National Guidelines on Swap Transplantation to encourage consistent practices and strengthen ethical standards across the country. A year-long public awareness campaign titled 'Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyaan' was also launched to spread awareness about organ donation in communities across India.

Healthcare Network Continues to Expand

Patel said the Government has built a strong institutional network consisting of NOTTO, five Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs), 26 State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTOs) and nearly 1,200 registered hospitals. Financial support under the National Organ Transplant Programme is helping states improve transplant infrastructure, organ retrieval systems and transportation, while kidney transplantation has been included under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to improve access for eligible patients.

Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said the NOTTO-ROTTO-SOTTO network now covers 31 States and Union Territories, making coordination faster and more effective. She also noted that ten new AIIMS institutions now perform kidney transplants, while several have expanded into liver and heart transplantation, increasing access to advanced treatment across different regions.

Honouring Donors and Encouraging Healthy Lives

The event concluded with the presentation of National Organ Donation Awards recognising states, hospitals, transplant professionals and institutions for outstanding contributions to organ donation and transplantation. Donor families from across the country were honoured for giving thousands of patients a new chance at life through their extraordinary generosity.

The Government also stressed that while expanding transplant services remains important, preventing diseases through healthier lifestyles, regular exercise, yoga and avoiding substance abuse can reduce the number of people requiring organ transplants in the future, making prevention an equally important part of the country's healthcare strategy.