Mumbai: Maharashtra has made significant progress in organ donation, with thousands of patients receiving transplants, Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said on Friday, calling for sustained awareness campaigns to encourage more people to pledge their organs.
According to state government data, 17,325 living-donor organ transplant surgeries were performed in Maharashtra between 1995 and October 2026, including 14,949 kidney and 2,376 liver transplants. In addition, organs donated after death helped 3,373 patients receive transplants — 1,853 kidney, 987 liver, 220 heart and 63 lung transplants, besides 250 other organs, including eyes and tissues.
Waiting lists remain a challenge
However, thousands continue to remain on waiting lists. The state currently has 4,075 patients awaiting kidney transplants, 888 for liver, 63 for heart, 24 for lung, 15 for pancreas, 11 for hand and eight for small-intestine transplants.
Abitkar said the state’s organ donation graph has steadily increased since the implementation of the Human Organ Transplantation Act and its amendments in 2011 and 2014. He urged citizens to come forward and pledge their organs, stressing the need to dispel misconceptions and superstitions surrounding donation.
Awareness initiatives expanded
The state government, Public Health Department, Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) and divisional transplant coordination centres in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have undertaken several awareness initiatives.
Under the Centre’s Angdaan Jeevan Sanjeevani Abhiyan, Maharashtra conducted the Jugjug Jiyo Abhiyan from August 3 to 15. Organ Donation Fortnight was also observed from August 2 to 15, culminating in Organ Donation Day on August 13.
The campaign included awareness drives through social media, videos, street plays, cinema advertisements, radio messages, seminars and short films. Medical experts, celebrities and religious leaders participated in the campaign, while transplant recipients shared their experiences.
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Encouraging organ pledges
Citizens were encouraged to pledge organ donation through the official website and QR codes. Awareness sessions were also conducted for doctors, nurses and healthcare workers at district, sub-district and rural hospitals and primary health centres.
Schools and colleges organised rallies, painting and rangoli competitions to engage young people. Hospitals displayed posters and banners, while families of deceased organ donors were felicitated.
Abitkar said the sustained efforts had helped counter myths around organ donation and could pave the way for a broader social movement to save lives through transplantation.
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