NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at reducing gender imbalance among organ transplant recipients and boosting organ donations, the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has issued a 10-point advisory giving priority to women patients and relatives of deceased donors awaiting transplants.
In a letter to all States and Union Territories, Anil Kumar, Director of NOTTO, said the new provisions will introduce “additional points in the allocation criteria” for women on the waiting list to address existing disparities.
According to the Union Health Ministry, current allocation rules for major organs — including kidney, heart, liver, lungs, and cornea — are designed to ensure transparency and fairness. Allocation is typically based on factors such as duration of illness, time spent on the waiting list, severity of disease, matching parameters (blood group, age, size), and whether the patient is a child or a former living donor now in need of a transplant.
Digital National Registry and Organ Donation Milestones
NOTTO operates a digital national registry of organ donors and recipients, where patients can register through their hospitals.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda recently announced that since the launch of the Aadhaar-based NOTTO online pledge platform in 2023, more than 3.3 lakh citizens have pledged to donate their organs. In 2024, India performed over 18,900 organ transplants, the highest in its history — a sharp rise from fewer than 5,000 transplants in 2013.
Mandatory Reporting for Hospitals
In his latest communication, Dr. Kumar emphasized that all transplant hospitals and centres must mandatorily submit donor and recipient data to NOTTO’s national registry. Non-compliance could result in legal action against the concerned hospitals.
The initiative is expected to improve access for women in need of transplants while also promoting equitable and transparent organ allocation across the country.
