THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As a result of the sharp decline in cadaver organ donations, the average waiting time for patients in need of organ transplants in the state is projected to exceed 10 years. With 2,462 patients currently on the waiting list, only 10 organ donations have been recorded this year, marking the lowest number in the last six years and pushing the government-regulated cadaver organ transplant programme into a crisis.
Nearly 1,000 patients have been waiting for more than five years. Between 2012 and 2023, around 2,000 registered patients have died while awaiting a suitable organ.
Health experts and patient-advocacy groups warn that the numbers may be even higher if those who have not registered with the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (K-SOTTO) are taken into consideration.
Over the 12-year period under review, 7,830 patients registered for transplants through the programme, but only 367 deceased donations took place, and merely 1,024 solid organs were retrieved. As the likelihood of receiving an organ grows slimmer, the rate of new registrations has also slowed.
“There’s a growing sense of despair among patients as the deceased-donor programme has faltered due to negative publicity. Many are now turning to living donors for transplants, but this leaves poorer patients at a severe disadvantage,” says Mathew Philip, chairman of the Liver Foundation of Kerala (LIFOK), which supports liver-transplant surgeries. Philip himself received a liver transplant from a living donor 10 years ago.
While the cadaver organ transplant programme has slowed, living-donor transplants continue to thrive. Each year, around 1,300 organ transplants (primarily kidney and liver) are carried out in the state, with cadaver donations accounting for just 1% of the total, according to K-SOTTO records. This alarming disparity has prompted health authorities to take action, urging K-SOTTO to launch an intensive awareness campaign.
“Globally, the proportion of cadaveric organ transplants should be higher than those from living donors. To address this, we’ve initiated a six-month campaign to educate the public, the medical community, and students about the critical need for cadaveric organ donations,” said Dr Noble Gracious, executive director of K-SOTTO.
To raise awareness
Over 2,400 on waiting list 7,830
No. of patients registered for transplants under K-SOTTO in 2012-23
367 No. of cadaver donations over the same period
Year No. of organ donors
2012 9
2013 36
2014 58
2015 76
2016 72
2017 18
2018 8
2019 19
2020 21
2021 17
2022 14
2023 19
No. of donors in 2024
2,462 No. of patients on waiting list
