Centre concerned over hospitals not sharing organ transplant data

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The Union Government has expressed “serious concern” over hospitals not sharing data on organ transplantation activities with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

In a communication dated March 19, 2025, sent to Health Secretaries of all States/Union Territories, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), which functions under the Directorate General of Health Services, called for urgent intervention of the competent authority to check the non-compliance of the transplant hospitals in updating the organ transplantation data which was undermining the purpose of the National Transplant Registry.

“It is a matter of serious concern that many registered transplant hospitals have persistently failed to submit the daily and monthly data on organ transplantation activities and register transplantations on the National Transplant Registry. Such non-compliance undermines NOTTO’s ability to fulfil its mandated obligations and impedes the overarching objective of augmenting organ donation rates nationwide,” the communication said.

Under the provisions of Section 13D of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, NOTTO is entrusted with the statutory responsibility of establishing and maintaining a National Transplant Registry which was essential for monitoring organ and tissue transplantation activities, ensuring transparency, facilitating equitable organ allocation, and supporting policymaking to enhance organ and tissue donation in the country.

‘Update data online within 48 hours’

The Centre asked State Health Secretaries to direct hospitals and transplant centres to furnish comprehensive data related to deceased as well as living donors and recipients on a monthly basis. It was mandatory to update the data online on the NOTTO web portal regularly and register both the donors and recipients of living transplants in the National Transplant Registry within 48 hours of the transplant procedure.

The State Appropriate Authority (SAA), which has the powers of a Civil Court under the Act, was requested to ensure compliance with the provision of data by hospitals for the National Transplant Registry and take suitable action against those violating the rules.

After the rules of organ transplant were tightened following allegations of commercial dealings, especially allocation of organs to foreign nationals bypassing Indian patients battling end-stage organ failure, the Health Ministry sent out various circulars calling for strict enforcement of the revised guidelines.

Surge in organ transplants for foreigners

Last year, the Director-General of Health Services in an advisory had mentioned that there had been a surge in the number of organ transplants of foreigners in the country, which called for monitoring of such transplants by the concerned States/UTs. In view of the seriousness of the issue, certain actions were recommended to be taken on a priority basis, which included investigating transplants involving foreign nationals and taking action against hospitals violating the norms.

“Time and again, letters have been written to States for sharing of data related to organ donation and transplantation with NOTTO. However, complete data is still not being received. It is again requested to ensure regular collection and sharing of data of all transplant cases including those of foreigners, with NOTTO on monthly basis…,” the advisory said.