Telangana has earned national recognition for its deceased organ donation programme, but a disturbing gap between organ donations and the number of patients needing transplants continues to cost lives.
Data from the state run Jeevandan programme, covering 2013 to 2026, shows that 19,386 patients registered for organ transplants in Telangana, while at least 4,106 died while waiting for an organ. Another 9,413 patients remain on the waiting list.
One in five patients dies waiting
- The figures mean roughly one in every five registered patients died before receiving a transplant.
- During the same period, 5,307 patients underwent successful transplants, meaning only about one in four registered patients received a transplant.
- The situation highlights a serious mismatch: Telangana has a relatively strong deceased donor programme, but the number of organs available remains far below the demand.
Children face an even more serious crisis
- The situation is particularly alarming among children.
- Jeevandan data shows that between 2013 and 2026, 300 children were registered for organ transplants, but only 42 received transplants.
- At least 130 children died while waiting, while 81 remained active on the waiting list.
- That means approximately six out of every seven children registered did not receive a transplant.
- Doctors say one major challenge is finding appropriately sized organs for children, along with the limited availability of paediatric donors.
Telangana performs thousands of transplants
- The crisis is not because Telangana lacks transplant facilities.
- Around 7,500-8,000 organ transplants are performed in the state every year, while annual organ donations remain below 1,000.
- This demonstrates the fundamental problem: the demand for organs is dramatically higher than the supply of donated organs.
Why are organs still in short supply?
Experts and officials point to several challenges:
➤ Lack of sufficient awareness about deceased organ donation
➤ Families sometimes refusing consent after brain death
➤ Difficulties in identifying and certifying brain death
➤ Limited availability of suitable organs
➤ Logistical challenges in transporting organs quickly
➤ Infrastructure and coordination gaps
➤ Special difficulties in finding suitable organs for children
Telangana has also shown that donation can work
- There is an important positive side to the story.
- Telangana’s Jeevandan programme has received national recognition for its cadaver organ donation performance.
- This makes the continuing shortage even more significant. Despite strong donation performance compared with many other states, thousands of patients are still waiting.
- The challenge is therefore not simply about encouraging people to donate. It is also about ensuring that every potential donor is identified, organs are recovered safely and quickly, and suitable organs reach patients who need them.
What the public needs to know
- Organ donation can save multiple lives after death.
- Understanding brain death and discussing organ donation decisions with family members in advance can make a critical difference.
- The Telangana government operates Jeevandan as its cadaver-transplantation programme, coordinating organ donation and transplantation across the state.
The bigger question
- Telangana’s organ transplant story presents a difficult contradiction:
- The state is among India’s better performing states in deceased organ donation, yet thousands of patients still die waiting for a suitable organ.
- Increasing donations alone may not be enough. Telangana also needs stronger coordination, faster organ retrieval and transportation, better infrastructure, greater public awareness and special attention to paediatric transplantation.
Every donated organ has the potential to become a second chance at life.
Key figures
➤ 19,386 patients registered for transplants between 2013 and 2026
➤ 4,106 patients died while waiting
➤ 9,413 patients remain on the waiting list
➤ 5,307 successful transplants recorded
➤ 300 children registered for transplants
➤ 130 children died waiting
➤ Only 42 children received transplants
➤ Annual organ donations remain below 1,000 despite thousands of transplants being performed
