Andhra Pradesh Ranks Sixth Nationally in Organ Donation, Says Health Minister

Andhra Pradesh has secured sixth place nationally in organ donation , Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav said on Tuesday, citing the State-wise Organ Donation List–2025 released by the National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation (NOTTO) . The Minister attributed the achievement to sustained awareness and systemic reforms under the Jeevan Daan programme, launched in 2015 after the bifurcation of the state.

Yadav said Jeevan Daan established a structured state-level coordination mechanism linking donor hospitals, transplant centres, counsellors and transport authorities, improving organ retrieval and transparent allocation. The number of government hospitals authorised to perform transplants has increased from three to nine, including King George Hospital , Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences , and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri , strengthening public healthcare access.

So far, government hospitals have conducted eight kidney and one liver transplant from brain-dead donors , apart from 87 kidney transplants from blood-related donors. In the first two months of 2026 alone, 64 organs were retrieved from 18 brain-dead donors , benefiting 64 patients reflecting a steady rise compared to previous years.

However, despite improvements, 5,347 patients remain on the waiting list , including 38 children below nine years of age. Officials noted that demand continues to far exceed supply, largely due to rising cases of kidney and liver failure linked to diabetes and hypertension.

Experts say organ donation remains inherently supply-constrained . Consent rates for brain-dead donation, though improving, are still limited. Additionally, not all retrieved organs are medically viable, and strict compatibility requirements including blood group and tissue matching further restrict allocation.

The government provides state honours and Rs 10,000 immediate assistance to donor families, with a proposal under consideration to enhance the amount to Rs 1 lakh. Authorities maintain that continued awareness, improved counselling and expanded transplant infrastructure will be key to reducing the waiting list in the coming years.

Officials emphasised that the state’s ranking reflects not only administrative progress but also growing public trust in organ donation systems .