No life-saving organ transplants for marginalised populations: Lancet

DESPITE India making progress in organ transplantation, and being a sought-after transplant tourism destination for patients from abroad, the country still faces challenges in achieving equitable access for all its citizens, especially those living in remote areas, said a latest Lancet study.

- KAVITA BAJELI-DATT @New Delhi

The study stressed that India needs stronger government investment, better data collection, improved public sector capacity, and policies to reduce financial and geographic barriers. India, placed in Category 4 along with South Africa, witnesses most transplants in private hospitals concentrated in urban areas. Despite free dialysis in many states, the study said, there is no comprehensive national policy covering transplantation costs.