Telangana faces organ transplant shortage despite high donation rankings

In Telangana, a significant gap exists between organ donation rates and the demand for transplants. Data from the Jeevandan programme indicates that between 2013 and 2026, over 4,100 patients died while awaiting transplants. Of the 19,386 patients registered during this period, approximately 5,307 successfully underwent treatment, while over 9,400 remain on waiting lists.

While Telangana ranks second in the country for organ donation relative to its population, the system faces structural imbalances. Nearly 97% of deceased organ donations are contributed by private corporate hospitals, whereas the contribution from state-run government hospitals and medical colleges is described as negligible. This concentration has made Hyderabad a major transplant hub, but leaves other districts with limited facilities.

Health experts have called for the expansion of organ-retrieval and transplant services to districts such as Warangal, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, and Nalgonda to reduce the heavy reliance on Hyderabad-based corporate hospitals. The most critical shortages involve livers, kidneys, lungs, hearts, and pancreases.