3 Things Deaths on organ waitlists, Tezpur campus protests, and Tamil Nadu export woes
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Dec 19, 2025 Join Anonna Dutt, a journalist focused on health policy, as she reveals alarming government data showing over 82,000 patients waiting for organ transplants in India, with nearly 2,805 dying while on waitlists. She discusses the need for a unified, transparent allocation process to address the challenges in organ donation. Meanwhile, Sukrita Baruah, a reporter on Assam's educational issues, covers the intense protests at Tezpur University, sparked by the vice-chancellor's alleged misconduct and student grievances, which have halted academic activities.
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Large Hidden Organ Waitlist
- Nearly 3,000 people died waiting for organ transplants in five years, but this is likely an undercount.
- Over 82,000 patients remain on the national waitlist, mostly for kidneys and livers, highlighting a large supply gap.
Living Donors Dominate Transplants
- Most transplants in India come from living relatives rather than deceased donors.
- Rising diabetes and hypertension increase kidney failure, widening demand beyond current transplant capacity.
Why Waiting Times Vary Widely
- Waiting time varies from weeks to years depending on matching, severity and allocation priority.
- Deceased-donor organs follow a multi-step allocation from hospital to state to regional to national pool.