The hospital observed National Organ Donation Day by felicitating families who had consented to donate the organs of their deceased loved ones.
HYDERABAD: India performed nearly 20,000 organ transplants in 2025, but with around 90,000 patients still on the waiting list for major organ transplants as of March 2026, the country needs greater public participation in organ donation, said Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, chairman of AIG Hospitals, on the occasion of National Organ Donation Day on Monday.
Addressing a public awareness programme titled Organ Donation: The Gift of Life, Dr Reddy said the widening gap between organ demand and availability remains one of the biggest challenges in transplantation despite significant medical advances.
“One person donating organs can save up to seven lives. India has made remarkable progress in transplantation, but medical expertise alone cannot save every patient. We need greater public participation,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of deceased organ donation, he said only around 18 per cent of transplants in the country currently involve organs donated by deceased donors.
“Every eligible deceased donor has the potential to save multiple lives. People should pledge to donate their organs and, more importantly, communicate their decision to their families. At the crucial moment, it is the family’s understanding, courage and consent that transform a pledge into the gift of life,” he added.
The hospital observed National Organ Donation Day by felicitating families who had consented to donate the organs of their deceased loved ones. Each family was presented with a Plaque of Gratitude in memory of the donor, recognising their decision to give others a second chance at life despite their personal loss.
The event also featured expert sessions on liver, kidney, heart, lung, pancreas, eye and islet‑cell transplantation. Specialists from the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care highlighted the importance of early identification of potential donors, certification of brain‑stem death, family counselling and coordinated organ retrieval in improving organ donation rates.
