Organ donation in India.
Every year thousands of patients wait for organ transplants hoping to get a second chance at life in India. A new report states that although a lack of public willingness is cited as a reason for low donation rates the biggest barrier is the healthcare system itself.
The report from Observer Research Foundation (ORF) titled 'Consent Without Capacity: Structural Hurdles in India's Organ Donation Ecosystem' cites that India's transplant shortfall is due to structural hurdles that make medically eligible organ donations fail to become successful transplants.
According to the report authored by Pulkit Athavle and K. S. Uplabdh Gopal highlights the contradictory legal definition of death, delays in brainstem death certification, poor transplant infrastructure and fragmented reporting by doctors and hospitals deterring organ donation nationwide.
Researchers also report that many potential donors are missed because of delays in certifying brain death and newer donation procedures like Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) are not utilized widely enough due to the absence of national clinical guidelines.
The findings further highlight the lack of reporting to the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) particularly regarding tissue transplantations which complicates planning, allocation and transparency. Finally the report concludes that all of these gaps including reduced availability of organs for those awaiting life-saving transplants contribute to a low organ donation rate in India.
A pledge of hope, a commitment to life.
The Digital Pledge Portal has emerged as a powerful platform to encourage organ donation, with 5,00,000+ Aadhaar-verified pledges registered since its launch in 2023. On the occasion of 16th Indian Organ Donation Day, Smt. Anupriya Patel, pic.twitter.com/vlA0llitxT Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) August 3, 2026
The findings are based on the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Special Report No. 296 which was released in January 2026. The researchers reviewed the legal framework, transplant policies, health care systems, data from the NOTTO and international organ donation models from countries such as Ireland, Spain, Singapore and the United States in order to understand the obstacles and suggest changes to the law.
Experts have been calling for reforms to be made throughout the system. The report says awareness efforts will be ineffective in boosting donation rates unless the transplant ecosystem is built up by hospitals and policymakers including:
According to the findings the country is medically equipped and the majority of the people are aware of organ donation. But if there is no clarity on legal aspects, better infrastructure and coordination then many willing donors may not become life saving transplants. The researchers say that a strong health care system is the way to ensure that all chances to save a life are not lost.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace medical or legal advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals or relevant authorities for guidance.
