Over 1,500 foreign nationals had organ transplants in India

['Anonna Dutt', 'Anonna Dutt Is A Principal Correspondent Who Writes Primarily On Health At The Indian Express. She Reports On Myriad Topics Ranging The Growing Burden Of Non-Communicable Diseases Such As Diabetes', 'Hypertension To The Problems With Pervasive Infectious Conditions. She Reported On The Government S Management Of The Pandemic', 'Closely Followed The Vaccination Programme.', 'Her Stories Have Resulted In The City Government Investing In High-End Tests For The Poor', 'Acknowledging Errors In Their Official Reports.', 'Dutt Also Takes A Keen Interest In The Country S Space Programme', 'Has Written On Key Missions Like Chandrayaan', 'Aditya', 'Gaganyaan.'] The Indian Express 2026-08-04 06:52:30

Over 1,500 patients from 63 countries across the world chose to undergo organ transplantation in India, including three patients each from the United States and the United Kingdom. While most of them received an organ from their living relatives, 11 foreign nationals also received organs from deceased Indian donors, according to an annual report of the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). While there is a long queue of patients in need of transplants, such donations remain low in India, less than one per million population. Organs from deceased Indian nationals are allocated to foreign nationals only if a match is not found in time among Indian patients awaiting one. There were a total of 3,526 organ transplants using organs from a deceased donor in India in 2025, according to the data.