3,373 Patients Benefit From Deceased Organ Donations In Maharashtra

Maharashtra has made significant progress in organ donation, with 3,373 patients receiving transplants from deceased donors.

According to state government data, 17,325 living-donor organ transplant surgeries were performed in Maharashtra between 1995 and October 2026. This includes 14,949 kidney and 2,376 liver transplants.

In addition to living-donor transplants, organs donated after death have helped 3,373 patients receive transplants. This includes 1,853 kidney, 987 liver, 220 heart, and 63 lung transplants, as well as 250 other organs such as eyes and tissues.

Despite the progress, thousands of patients remain on waiting lists for transplants. The state currently has 4,075 patients awaiting kidney transplants, 888 for liver, 63 for heart, 24 for lung, 15 for pancreas, 11 for hand, and eight for small-intestine transplants.

Health Minister Prakash Abitkar has urged citizens to come forward and pledge their organs, stressing the need to dispel misconceptions and superstitions surrounding donation. He said the state's organ donation graph has steadily increased since the implementation of the Human Organ Transplantation Act and its amendments in 2011 and 2014.

The state government, Public Health Department, Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO), and divisional transplant coordination centres have undertaken several awareness initiatives to encourage organ donation.

Under the Centre's Angdaan Jeevan Sanjeevani Abhiyan, Maharashtra conducted the Jugjug Jiyo Abhiyan from August 3 to 15. Organ Donation Fortnight was also observed from August 2 to 15, culminating in Organ Donation Day on August 13.

The campaign included awareness drives through social media, videos, street plays, cinema advertisements, radio messages, seminars, and short films. Medical experts, celebrities, and religious leaders participated in the campaign, while transplant recipients shared their experiences.

Citizens were encouraged to pledge organ donation through the official website and QR codes. Awareness sessions were also conducted for doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers at district, sub-district, and rural hospitals and primary health centres.

Abitkar said the sustained efforts had helped counter myths around organ donation and could pave the way for a broader social movement to save lives through transplantation.

The progress in organ donation in Maharashtra is a significant step towards addressing the shortage of organs for transplantation in the state. It is hoped that the awareness campaigns will continue to encourage more people to pledge their organs, ultimately saving more lives.

In conclusion, the state's efforts to promote organ donation have shown promising results, and it is essential to sustain these efforts to make a significant impact on the lives of patients waiting for transplants.