Telangana needs 4,000 kidneys as organ shortage worsens
HYDERABAD: The demand for organ transplants in Telangana is rising sharply, with a severe shortage of donors leaving thousands of patients waiting for life-saving procedures under the state-run Jeevandan programme.
According to official data, the state currently requires around 4,000 kidneys, over 3,000 livers, 150–200 hearts and lungs, and up to 50 pancreases for patients registered on the waiting list.
113 patients died waiting for organs in five years
Between 2020 and 2024, at least 113 patients on the Jeevandan waiting list died after failing to receive organs in time. In terms of deaths among patients awaiting organ transplants, Telangana ranks seventh nationally.
States reporting higher deaths during the same period include Maharashtra (1,425), Tamil Nadu (297), Haryana (233), Madhya Pradesh (215) and Uttar Pradesh (169).
Kidney demand dominates waiting list
More than 7,000 patients in Telangana are currently waiting for major organ transplants, with kidney patients forming the largest group. Doctors attribute the high demand to a growing number of diabetes cases, while rising alcohol consumption has significantly increased liver-related illnesses.
Over 3,000 patients require liver transplants, but availability remains critically low. Around 150 to 200 patients are awaiting heart and lung transplants, while about 50 patients need pancreas transplants.
Donor shortage despite strong transplant infrastructure
Under the Jeevandan programme, organs are harvested from brain-dead donors and transplanted into registered patients. Over the past 12 years, 6,503 organ transplants have been carried out through the scheme.
Telangana has four government hospitals and 37 private hospitals registered under Jeevandan, with the capacity to perform 7,000–8,000 transplants annually. However, the absence of donors has prevented the system from reaching its potential.
Dr Sribhushan Raju, nodal officer of Jeevandan at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, said lack of public awareness remains the biggest challenge.
“There is still inadequate understanding of organ donation among the public. In brain-death cases, families often refuse consent due to emotional and sentimental reasons. Even families that have benefited from organ transplants are reluctant to come forward as donors. Greater awareness is crucial for the success of this programme,” he said.
People willing to donate organs must pledge consent while they are healthy. Officials said reluctance from families of brain-dead patients and limited awareness continue to widen the gap between demand and supply.
