Government hospitals’ share of organ donation in Tamil Nadu is on the rise

Doctors emphasize the need to create regional centers in the government sector that would focus on single organ transplants. Government Stanley Medical College Hospital has a liver transplant unit. | Photo credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

The contribution of government hospitals to the organ donor pool has gradually increased in Tamil Nadu over the last four years. In 2025, government hospitals accounted for 58% of deceased donors and their share increased to 64% as of April 2026. However, organ transplantation, with the exception of kidneys, remains limited in volume, likely reflecting the interplay of multiple factors.

The number of deceased donors in Tamil Nadu showed a substantial increase from 156 in 2022 to 178 in 2023 and rose to a record high of 268 in 2024. It remained at a similar level in 2025 with 266 donors and stood at 112 till April 2026, with the number of donors increasing steadily during this period. 33% to 64%, data from the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN) shows.

A number of factors contributed to the better performance of government hospitals, said N. Gopalakrishnan, member secretary, TRANSTAN. This includes walks of honor in government medical teaching hospitals, government announcements awarding state honors to deceased donors, systematic reorientation of government doctors by TRANSTAN, standardization of operating protocols, multi-level periodic reviews and continuous updating of knowledge and practical know-how through continuing education programs for doctors.

A total of 13 government hospitals and 159 private hospitals hold transplant licenses, while there are 35 non-transplant organ procurement centers (NTORCs) in the government sector. “Nearly 15% of donors were donated by these non-transplant organ procurement centers. These centers have proven to be essential in improving donation and expanding the donor pool,” he said.

Once a donor is identified, maintenance becomes key, he said, adding: “Starting with constant communication with brain death certification, we have protocols in place. As a result, donors crashing before an organ is harvested is now becoming a rarity. But there is no room for complacency. Measures to maintain progress are happening.”

Dr. Gopalakrishnan added that the acceptance rate of organ donation was around 75% to 80% in the state. “The reasons for the remaining 20 to 25% need to be studied. There are some myths surrounding organ donation. We need to address inter-family arrests and speed up processes such as faster transfer of remains after organ harvesting,” he said, adding that the transparency of the organ allocation process has led to public confidence in the system.

A number of senior doctors said there were areas that needed strengthening. More government centers should have the capacity to perform transplants and training for heart, lung and liver transplants. One or two fully equipped government centers may operate in each region to increase organ transplant rates. Doctors said kidney transplants dominated transplants in the government sector as most centers do them. Patients with kidney failure are able to survive with the help of dialysis, leading to more people receiving kidney transplants. Many of them have a good quality of life on maintenance dialysis, which is provided free of charge in the state sector. On the contrary, liver, heart and lung failure do not have enough support systems and the number of patients enrolled for transplantation was relatively lower.

“We need to create regional centers in the government sector that will focus on single organ transplantation. This way we can pool all resources, including human resources. For example, the state-run Stanley Medical College Hospital has a liver transplant unit,” said the senior doctor.

Published – 08 Jun 2026 0:22 IST