KOCHI: In 2021, the family of a 39-year-old man from Kannur was left in shock on learning that his kidneys had failed. Darkness fell upon their lives, and they had no idea what to do next. Treatment was initiated immediately, and he was put on dialysis.
However, they were unable to find a donor among his blood relatives or close family members. After four long years, they finally found an altruistic donor. Subsequently, the authorisation committee granted permission for the transplant, which was carried out at a private hospital in the state.
Over and above the financial assistance provided from the central and state governments, the family spent around Rs 10 lakh on the procedure.
“The transplant, conducted last June, was a success. It has been more than six months now, and his condition is reviewed every two weeks. We made enquiries at government hospitals, but the waiting period was too long. That forced us to opt for a private hospital.
During our search, one hospital management told us the transplant would cost around Rs 15 lakh. There are no standard fees for organ transplantation,” his bystander during the recent follow-up said, adding that government hospitals prefer blood relatives or friends as donors.
This is not an isolated case. For an ordinary citizen in need of an organ transplant, survival often depends not on public healthcare, but on the ability to afford an expensive private hospital. The statistics provided by Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation (K-SOTTO), the nodal agency for transplantation, paint a stark picture.
Between 2011 and 2016, private hospitals carried out 7,844 kidney transplants, 2,468 liver transplants, and 43 heart transplants. In contrast, government hospitals managed only 507 kidney transplants, and just one liver and one heart transplant. This pattern continues in the following years as well.
From 2016 to 2025, private hospitals performed 8,545 kidney, 2,480 liver , and 43 heart transplants, while government hospitals carried out only 701 kidney, 13 liver, and 10 heart transplants. But activists said it is a trust factor, that stops people from approaching government hospitals for organ transplantation.
Recently, a 22-year-old girl, who underwent transplantation at Ernakulam General Hospital, died one month after the surgery.
Why is the government not taking the lead in the field? Public hospitals offer affordable care, but the private sector charges high fees citing modern facilities, said Fr Davis Chiramel, popularly known as the ‘Kidney Priest’.
An right to information (RTI) reply obtained by Kochi-based activist Raju Vazhakkala reveals that government hospitals do not charge fees for organ transplantation. The document made it clear that the government has not fixed any standard fee for organ transplants in private hospitals, allowing them to charge patients arbitrarily.
“These figures indicate that there has been a significant leap in organ transplantation in the government sector as well. However, further improvements are still needed. Government hospitals do not charge any fees for organ transplantation. At the same time, a major shortcoming is that there is no standardised fee structure for organ transplant surgeries in private hospitals. It is this grey area that is leading to exploitation. If the government intervenes to prevent this, it would be a great relief for ordinary people,” Raju said.
“The government should provide more awareness about organ donation. That will help the common man who is in need of an organ to receive one,” stressed Fr Chiramel.
“The government should motivate everyone to donate their organs after death (if they are eligible), so that no living person is forced to donate an organ to another. In my opinion, national recognition should be given to deceased donors. People should be made aware of the value and importance of organ donation,” he added.
In the govt sector
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, and Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) conduct heart transplantations.
The GMCHs in Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam perform liver transplantations.
Ernakulam General Hospital, the GMCHs in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram; and Alappuzha TD Government Medical College conduct kidney transplants.