Lok Sabha Question No. 1422 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-28
Subject: Post COVID-19 Organ Transplantation
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru, Dileshwar Kamait, Manne Srinivas Reddy

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1422 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 TH JULY, 2023

## POST COVID-19 ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

## 1422. SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMAKRISHNARAJU:

SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT:

SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY:

SHRI KOMATI REDDYVENKAT REDDY:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has witnessed a fast resurgence in organ transplantation activities post COVID-19 and for the first time achieved more that 15,000 transplantation a year in 2022 and if so, the comparative details thereof since 2017 onwards till date;
- (b) whether there has been an annual increase of 27 per cent in the transplantation and if so, the details thereof since 2014;
- (c) whether the Government has organised the ' National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation Scientific Dialogue, 2023 ' aimed at bringing all the stakeholders to brainstorm ideas about interventions and best practices in the field of organ and tissue transplant and if so, the details thereof and the progress made in this regard in Telangana;
- (d) the number of participants who have participated in the said dialogue along with the issues discussed therein;
- (e) whether despite having 640 hospitals and medical colleges, transplantation remains a specialized service limited only to some hospitals and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to expand the number of institutions where surgeries and transplantation could take place across the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (PROF. SATYA PAL SINGH BAGHEL)

- (a) & (b) As per the updated data reported by States & UTs to National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), there has been an increase in organ transplant activities in India post COVID-19. A total of 16041 organ transplants were done in the country in the year 2022. This is an annual increase of approximately 31% in the number of transplants as compared to the year 2021. The details of organ transplants done since the year 2014 are given in the table below:-

|   Year | Total Transplants Done   |
|--------|--------------------------|
|   2014 | 6916                     |
|   2015 | 8348                     |
|   2016 | 9022                     |
|   2017 | 9539                     |
|   2018 | 10340                    |
|   2019 | 12666                    |
|   2020 | 7443                     |
|   2021 | 12259                    |
|   2022 | 16041                    |
|   2023 | 7107 (till date)         |

(c) & (d) The Government of India has organized National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization Scientific dialogue 2023 on 19.02.2023 at New Delhi. A total of 519 participants attended the event. The following issues were discussed in the event:

- i. Challenges and way forward for Kidney Transplant/Liver transplant/Lung transplant/Heart Transplant/Hand Transplant/Skin bank/Eye bank.
- ii. Deceased donation programme in India.
- iii. Approaching Emergency, Pediatric and Burn patients in the Emergency department for organ donation.
- iv. Implementing triage in Emergency department.

SOTTO has been established in the State of Telangana at Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad.

(e) & (f) Health is a state subject. It is for the respective State/UT to develop transplant facilities in hospitals and medical colleges. However, the Government of India is running National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) to promote organ donation and transplantation across the country. The three-tier structure set up under NOTP to provide for an efficient and organized system of organ procurement and distribution in the country includes an apex level NOTTO at New Delhi, five Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs) at Chandigarh, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Guwahati and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTOs), sanctioned in twenty States so far.

Under NOTP, financial assistance is provided to the States/Institutions so as to expand the number of institutions where surgeries and transplants could take place, which includes financial support for developing new/strengthening existing organ retrieval /transplant facilities & setting up biomaterial centres, hiring of transplant coordinators in transplant/retrieval centres, maintenance of deceased donors and financial support for post transplant immune-suppressant medicines for below poverty line transplant recipients. Further, States have also been requested to set-up retrieval centres in all medical colleges (both Govt. & Pvt.) to improve organ availability.

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