Govt Hospitals Lag in Organ Donations: Private Sector Dominates

Telangana's Jeevandan organ donation initiative shows a stark dependency on private hospitals, which have recorded approximately 97% of all donations. Government institutions, including major public hospitals, have contributed a mere fraction, with only 61 donations reported compared to 1,710 by private entities up to 2025. This disparity extends to transplant procedures, where private hospitals have performed over 4,200 procedures against the government's 722.

Experts attribute this imbalance to critical gaps in public healthcare infrastructure, such as insufficient ICU availability and a lack of dedicated transplant coordinators. Public hospitals, often overburdened with emergency care, struggle to prioritize organ donation and transplant activities. The absence of specialized transplant teams and standardized donor identification protocols in many government facilities leads to missed donation opportunities.

This situation significantly impacts economically weaker patients who depend on government hospitals for affordable transplant care. They are often forced to seek treatment in more expensive private institutions due to limited transplant capacity in the public sector. Strengthening ICU infrastructure, appointing dedicated coordinators, and enhancing awareness drives in government hospitals are crucial for equitable access to transplants under Jeevandan.