AS INDIA’S KIDNEY TRANSPLANT GAP WIDENS, EXPERTS CALL FOR DONOR POOL EXPANSION

India faces a growing health emergency as the number of patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease outpaces the country’s capacity for transplants

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Every week, Imran Ali* travels over 30 kilometres to a dialysis centre, a routine that has kept him alive for nearly three years. Each session costs around 23,500, and when combined with medication and travel, his monthly medical expenses soar to %70,000-%80,000. For Imran and his family, it’s a relentless cycle of financial and emotional stress.

“We've sold land, borrowed from relatives, and still, I’m waiting for a transplant,” says Imran, who is currently at number 41,000 in a waiting list of over 2 lakh kidney transplant applicants in India. “I was told not to expect a call anytime soon. I don’t even know if I'll live long enough to move ahead in the list.” Imran’s doctors have warned that he may not survive more than three months without a transplant.

Imran’s story is not unique. It reflects the reality of thousands of people across India suffering from end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), trapped in a system where need drastically outweighs availability. According to data from the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), kidney transplants are among the most sought-after and performed procedures in India. Experts suggest that addressing India’s growing burden of ESKD requires a two-pronged approach: tackling the root cause of rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension, and simultaneously addressing the critical shortage of organ donors.

Reform can address India’s kidney transplant deficit

Growing need, limited response

J. Amalorpavanathan ,founder-member secretary, Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu, observes that while the demand for kidney transplants has grown exponentially, the supply has not kept pace. “Even countries like the United States and Spain, with well-established transplant programmes, are struggling. In India, the gap is much wider,” he says.