In a landmark move to address gender disparities and boost organ donation, the Union Health Ministry has directed states to prioritize women patients and near relatives of deceased donors on organ transplant waiting lists. The directive, issued by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) on August 2, 2025, during the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day, aims to transform India’s organ transplantation landscape.

The advisory, detailed in a 10-point plan, seeks to enhance equity and transparency in organ allocation. “To address gender disparity, additional points should be given to female patients on the waiting list for deceased donor organ transplants,” the NOTTO stated, responding to data showing women often face longer waits due to systemic biases. Similarly, it recommends priority for close kin of deceased donors, honoring their families’ selfless contributions. Dr. Anil Kumar, NOTTO director, emphasized that this provision aims to incentivize donations while ensuring fairness.

India performed 18,911 organ transplants in 2024, with 15,505 from living donors and 1,128 from deceased donors, yet the demand far exceeds supply. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda highlighted the crisis, noting, “Thousands await transplants annually, but myths and lack of awareness create a significant gap.” He reported that over 3.3 lakh citizens have pledged organs since the Aadhaar-based NOTTO portal launched in 2023.

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The advisory also mandates registering all trauma centers and medical colleges as organ retrieval centers under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, to streamline deceased donor organ collection, particularly from road accident and stroke victims. States are urged to train emergency responders and ambulance staff to identify potential donors early and alert transplant coordinators.

To boost awareness, NOTTO suggests appointing state-level brand ambassadors and honoring deceased donors with dignified funerals and public felicitations on key dates like August 15 and January 26. Hospitals must submit donor and recipient data to NOTTO’s national registry, with non-compliance risking penalties under THOTA.

Dr. H. Jauhari, chairperson of renal transplants at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, praised the priority for women, noting that women dominate as living donors but are underrepresented as recipients. However, he cautioned that implementation must balance urgency, age, and medical need to avoid ethical dilemmas.

The advisory also calls for permanent transplant coordinator posts in hospitals, recognizing their critical role. With only 0.86 deceased donors per million population in India, compared to 30–40 in Western nations, these reforms aim to close the gap, fostering a culture of donation while ensuring justice for women and donor families.

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