Hyderabad/New Delhi: Telangana has been honoured with a prestigious national award for achieving the highest organ donation rate in India. According to a senior official, in 2024, Telangana recorded an organ donation rate of 4.88 donors per million population (pmp), which significantly surpassed the national average of 0.8 pmp. The award was presented during a felicitation ceremony held in New Delhi as part of the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day celebrations, organised by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO).

The award was received by Dr G Mallikarjun and the Jeevandan Team on behalf of the Government of Telangana from the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda. The Jeevandan initiative, spearheaded by the Telangana government, has consistently set a benchmark in organ donation awareness, coordination, and successful transplantation, making the state a model for the rest of the country.

Jeevandan, launched in 2012 by the Government of Telangana, is administered by the Cadaver Transplantation Advisory Committee (CTAC), chaired by the Special Chief Secretary of Health, Medical and Family Welfare, and the Appropriate Authority for Cadaver Transplantation (AACT), headed by the Director of Medical Education. The Director of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) serves as Co-Chairman. Since its inception, the programme has facilitated organ and tissue donation from 1,673 deceased donors, resulting in the transplantation of 6,309 organs and tissues. This recognition places Telangana at the forefront of ethical and efficient organ donation and transplantation in India. It reflects years of commitment, collaboration, and public participation, especially from donor families who made the selfless decision to save lives.

According to officials, the number of donors and organ donations has gradually increased year after year over the last ten years. In 2013, there were 41 donors who donated 189 organs, including kidneys, livers, hearts, corneas, heart valves, lungs, and pancreases. Similarly, there were 51 donors donating 233 organs in 2014, with over 500 donations in 2017. In the year 2023, there were 729 organ donations, which was the highest number during the last ten years.