National Organ Donation Day Indian Organ Donation Day is being celebrated every year on November 27 to commemorate the contributions made to society by deceased donors and their families. From 2023, the day is being celerated during August 3 to commemmorate the first successful deceased heart transplant in India on 3rd August 1994. The objective of the day is to spread awareness among people and to recognize the selfless efforts made towards mankind and re-establish belief in humanity. Organ donation month in India The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) has declared July as the month of Organ donation to commemmorate 8th July 1994, when Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA), an Act to provide the regulation of removal, storage and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for the prevention of commercial dealings in human organs and tisses was enacted in India. This year under the campaign “Angdaan- Jeevan Sanjeevani Abhiyan” various awareness activities have been organized across the country from city to village level involving all Central Government Ministries/Departments, State/UT Governments/National, Regional and State Organ & Tissue networking organisations/Hospitals / Institutions and Medical Colleges, NGOs and other stakeholders. It seeks to promote organ and tissue donation across the country. The campaign emphasizes the need for increased public participation, dispelling myths and misconceptions, and motivating citizens to pledge for organ donation. The event aimed at raising awareness about the critical importance of organ donation and to honor the selfless donors and their families who have given the gift of life. Organ donation statistics in India India ranks third in the world only behind USA and China as per the data available on the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT) website. India achieved a remarkable milestone of performing over 18,900 organ transplants in 2024, the highest ever recorded in a single year. This is a significant leap from fewer than 5,000 transplants in 2013. India’s organ donation rate remains under 1% relative to the population. Over 63,000 individuals currently need kidney transplants, and around 22,000 liver transplants. As per the 2019 data of the All Institute of Medical Sciences, annually 1.5 to two lakh people require a kidney transplant. But only around 8,000, meaning four percent people get it. Similarly, every year around 80,000 patients require a liver transplant, but only 1,800 eventually get it. Around one lakh patients require corneal or eye transplants annually, but less than half of people get it. Even for a heart transplant, of the 10,000 who need a heart transplant, only 200 matches with donors. There are only three percent registered organ donors in India. The main reason behind such less organ donation is the lack of knowledge among people regarding the process of organ transplant. NGOs and public organizations are trying to spread awareness. To make organ transplant more accessible, financial support of up to ₹15 lakh is provided to poor patients for transplantation of kidneys, liver, heart and lungs under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi. Poor patients are provided support of up to ₹10,000 per month after transplant to cover the medical expenses. Kidney transplant package has also been included in Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri- Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). Network of organ donation in India The network of organ donation, collection and replacement through the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTOs) at State-Level, Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTOs) at Regional Level and National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) at National Level. To know more, click here. World Organ Donation Day 13th August is observed every year as World Organ Donation Day to raise awareness on Organ Donation. Global Organ donation statistics The global database on donation and transplantation represents the most comprehensive source to date of worldwide data concerning activities in organ donation and transplantation derived from official sources, as well as information on legal and organizational aspects. To access the statistics, click here.