Telangana has been recognised as the best State for cadaver organ donation and transplantation. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare presented the award to members of Telangana’s Jeevandan programme in Delhi on Saturday.
The award ceremony coincided with the 14th National Organ Day. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, along with Dr. Vinod K. Paul, Member (Health) NITI Aayog, presented the award to Dr. Swarnalatha, in-charge of Jeevandan in TG and professor and HOD of Nephrology at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
Also, the best private hospital with highest cadaver donation award was given to Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad.
In 2023, Telangana achieved a donation rate of 5.48 per million population (pmp), which is significantly higher than India’s average donation rate of 0.8 pmp, said an official. In contrast, the US has a donation rate of 30 pmp while Spain tops the chart with 48 pmp.
The Jeevandan Cadaver Transplantation Programme is a flagship initiative of the Government of Telangana and was launched in 2013. The programme is overseen by the Cadaver Transplantation Advisory Committee (CTAC) chaired by the Special Chief Secretary of Health, Medical & Family Welfare, and the Appropriate Authority for Cadaver Transplantation (AACT) led by the Director of Medical Education. The Co-Chairman is the Director of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
Since its inception in January 2013, Jeevandan has facilitated the harvesting of 5,541 organs and tissues from 1,465 cadaveric donors. As of July 2024, 40 hospitals in Telangana, including NIMS, Osmania General Hospital, and Gandhi Hospital, are authorised to conduct cadaver transplants.
From January to July 2024, there were 103 donors in Telangana, resulting in the harvesting of 421 organs, including 170 kidneys, 100 livers, 15 hearts, 94 corneas, and 42 lungs. Historical data indicates a growing trend in organ donation within the state since the beginning of the Jeevandan programme. In 2013, there were 41 donors and 189 organs retrieved, followed by 51 donors and 233 organs in 2014, 89 donors and 364 organs in 2015, 106 donors and 411 organs in 2016, 150 donors and 563 organs in 2017, 160 donors and 573 organs in 2018, and 134 donors and 469 organs in 2019.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in 2020, with 75 donors and 257 organ retrievals. However, the numbers began to recover in 2021 with 162 donors and 616 organs, increasing to 194 donors and 716 organs in 2022, and reaching 200 donors and 729 organs in 2023.
