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India's Lung Transplant Gap: Fewer Lungs Donated Than Needed
26 Feb
Summary
- India uses less than 15% of donated lungs, far below Western rates.
- Nearly 970 patients were on the lung transplant waiting list by December 2025.
- Tamil Nadu has more donors but still faces transplant challenges.
Lung transplantation offers a life-saving option for individuals with end-stage lung disease, significantly improving quality of life and life expectancy. However, India faces substantial hurdles in making this procedure accessible. As of December 2025, approximately 970 patients were on the official lung transplant waiting list.
A critical issue is the low utilization rate of donated lungs; less than 15% are used nationwide, a stark contrast to 50-60% in Western nations. This disparity means that even with more donors, as seen in Tamil Nadu, the number of transplants performed remains limited.
Key challenges include a severe shortage of suitable donor lungs, limited public awareness, delayed patient referrals, high costs, and logistical difficulties in organ transport. Early referral, optimization of patient health, and strict adherence to post-transplant regimens are crucial for improving outcomes, which currently show around 85-90% one-year survival and 50-70% five-year survival in India.
