Lok Sabha Question No. 1140 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-25
Subject: Donation of Human Organs
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Parshottambhai Rupala

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1140 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH JULY, 2025

## DONATION OFHUMAN ORGANS

## 1140. SHRI PARSHOTTAMBHAI RUPALA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in partnership with the State Governments to establish clear guidelines for ensuring that human organs donated by volunteers are provided to underprivileged people;

(b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government of those people who are missing out on the Organs they require due to a lack of awareness and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the actions taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in collaboration with the State Governments to facilitate the aforementioned process online, as this would enhance transparency and reduce illegal human organ trading?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (c) : Under Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA),1994, a three tiered National Human Organs and Tissues Removal and Storage Network has been established, consisting of National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs) and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTOs). NOTTO/ROTTO/SOTTO network with institutions and hospitals performing organ/tissue transplantation, organ retrieval, and tissue banking in the country through a digital National Registry, maintained by NOTTO, with a view to provide an efficient and organized system of organ and tissue procurement from deceased donors and their allocation to waiting recipients.

The Allocation criteria for major organs and tissues namely kidney, heart, liver, lung, heartlung and cornea transplant have been prescribed by NOTTO for transparency and equity in the allocation system, giving preference to those whose requirement is more. The aforesaid allocation criteria give priority to the following factors:

-  Duration of disease,
-  Period in waiting list,
-  Severity of illness,
-  Children,
-  Previous living donor now requiring transplant and
-  Matching parameters like blood group, age, size etc. for better outcome.
-  Other factors namely local utilization of organ and geographical proximity of recipient

Further, allocation of donated organs to recipients of Government centres is done, if donation is happening in a Govt. institution under the NOTTO allocation policy. States may adopt allocation criteria of NOTTO or can have their own allocation criteria as permitted under THOTRules, 2014.

The Government of India is implementing the National Organ Transplant Program (NOTP). Under NOTP, grants are provided to States depending upon the proposals received, for establishing ROTTOs and SOTTOs, augmenting infrastructure in public sector for setting up Organ Transplant/Retrieval Centers and Tissue Banks, hiring of Transplant Coordinators by Government Medical Colleges and Trauma Centers, maintenance of deceased donors, organ transport, post- transplant immune-suppressant medicines, carrying out awareness, training and capacity building activities etc.

A dedicated website (www.notto.mohfw.gov.in) along with a 24x7 call center with a toll free helpline number (1800114770) are operational to provide information, tele-counselling and to help in coordination for organ donation.

NOTTO, ROTTOs, SOTTOs and institutions carry out activities across the country for generating awareness, such as celebration of Indian Organ Donation Day annually, seminars, webinars, workshops, debates, sports events, walkathons, marathons, nukkad natak, legal symposium, etc.

A dedicated web-portal notto.abdm.gov.in for registering Adhaar verified pledges for organ &tissue donation is operational.

States have been requested to implement swap donor program as per THOTA 1994, which is likely to improve pool of donors and increase number of transplantation.

The Transplant/retrieval centers are requested to display the Boards in ICUs, Casualty, waiting areas and other strategic locations for information regarding legal requirement for doctors/coordinators to inquire/request family members for organ donation.

Health being a State subject, it is the primary responsibility of the State to augment capacity, enhance transparency and increase awareness in organ donation & transplantation. NOTTO maintains a digital national registry of organ recipients and donors. Patients needing transplant can get registration done through treating hospital in the national registry for receiving deceased donor organ. States/UTs have been requested to ensure that every hospital performing organ transplantation or retrieval needs to be linked to the website of NOTTO and data related to both deceased and living donors and recipients of transplants is uploaded in the National Registry. Further, each donor and recipient is allocated a unique NOTTO ID for better monitoring.

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