~ Experts from across India and abroad unite to strengthen organ donation ecosystem in Eastern India ~

~ For the first time in Asia, Manipal Hospital Dwarka, New Delhi, conducted a deceased organ donation post cardiac death in a 55-year-old lady, using Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP), where circulation was restarted using an indigenous low-cost hybrid ECMO, instead of the usual organ donations which are conducted after Brain Death ~

Mumbai / Kolkata : Manipal Hospitals, under its flagship initiative Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST), inaugurated the Organ Donation Summit 2025 in Kolkata today, bringing together leading healthcare leaders, specialists, and policymakers on a common platform. The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of distinguished dignitaries, including the Chief Guest, Dr. Anil Kumar, Director, NOTTO, Dr. (Col) Avnish Seth, VSM, Country Head, Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST), Dr. Philip Thomas, Professor of Transplant Surgery, University of Texas, Medical Branch, and Dr. Ayanabh Debgupta, Regional COO, Manipal Health Enterprise Pvt. Ltd. The speakers shared valuable insights on strengthening deceased organ donation rates, enhancing collaboration among medical institutions, and building a more cohesive and transparent organ donation ecosystem in the region. In addition to international faculty, the summit had active participation from 8 national faculty across country and 25 faculty from different hospitals in Kolkata. Additionally, 14 senior faculty from different hospital units of Manipal North, South and West region converged in Kolkata for the first time and 25 senior faculty from the Manipal East region chaired and moderated the 9 curated academic sessions spread across the two days.

The two-day summit, themed “Best Practices in Organ Donation,” is being organized by Manipal Organ Donation and Transplant (MOST) in collaboration with ROTTO (East), the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation (ISOT) Kolkata, the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM) Kolkata, and the MOHAN Foundation. The initiative aims to promote collaboration, raise awareness, and facilitate knowledge exchange to strengthen the organ donation ecosystem, with a special focus on advancing efforts in Eastern India.

The Chief Guest for the event Dr. Anil Kumar, Director, NOTTO, led the session “Ethics in Organ Donation & Transplantation” which explored the challenges of moral dilemmas, transparency, and public trust in organ donation, stated, “Ethics is the backbone of any organ donation and transplantation program. As we expand our capabilities, we must ensure that every decision is transparent, every action is accountable, and every family feels respected and informed. Building public trust is not just an obligation, it is the foundation on which the entire system stands. Our goal is to create an ecosystem where ethical clarity guides practice, so that every donation truly honours the donor, supports the family, and saves lives with dignity.”

Highlighting India’s achievements and challenges in the field, Dr. (Col) Avnish Seth, VSM, Country Head, Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST), shared, “India has made rapid strides in the field of organ donation and transplantation, but we still have a long way to go. In 2024, 18,911 organ transplants were carried out in India, the third highest in the world after the US and China. Of these, 82% were from living donors. In the same year, there were 1,128 deceased donors following brain death in India, leading to 3,403 organ transplants. Although this figure ranks eighth globally, it is largely driven by the efforts of five or six states, while the national organ donation rate remains low, under one per million population. MOST has been established to promote best practices in deceased organ donation and conducts annual summits to encourage knowledge sharing. This year’s summit aims to provide synergy and momentum to ongoing efforts in Eastern India, especially West Bengal.”

Dr. (Col) Avnish Seth shared a unique transplant procedure done at Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, New Delhi just two days prior, “In 2024 India had around 1100 organ donors, but all of them are after brain death, where the heart is still beating and organs remain perfused. For the first time in Asia, we enabled organ donation after the heart had stopped, using Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP). Once the 55-year-old woman was declared dead, and with her family’s consent, we restarted circulation using an indigenous low-cost hybrid ECMO. In just four hours, her organs showed remarkable recovery, the liver and kidneys were perfectly viable, allowing a successful transplant. This moment is a breakthrough for India and Asia, proving that we can expand the pool of donors and offer the gift of life to many more patients.”

The first day of the conference showcased a range of stimulating and informative sessions that explored many of the modern challenges facing organ transplantation. The first session, titled “Organ Donation in India & around the World,” included important discussions led by Dr. S.K. Mathur from the Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre (ZTCC), Mumbai, and Dr. Sunil Shroff from MOHAN Foundation on the state and progress of organ donation in India, and how it compares with organ donation programs across the globe. The next session was on “Donation After Brain Death,” which featured Dr. Deepak Gupta from AIIMS, New Delhi, and Dr. (Col) Avnish Seth, VSM, and included thought-provoking conversations about identifying and managing brain death early, along with added complexity in developing an organ donation system.

Dr. Philip Thomas from the University of Texas, and Dr. Dipanjan Chatterjee from Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass moderated the sessions entitled, “End of Life Care & Donation After Circulatory Death (DCD),” which focused on compassionate end-of-life care, withdrawal of life support, and the ethics surrounding death by circulatory cessation. Dr. Harsha Jauhary from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, and Dr. Anil Kumar, Director, NOTTO, led the session “Ethics in Organ Donation & Transplantation”.

The keynote address on “Best Practices in Organ Donation” was delivered by Dr. Philip Thomas, Professor of Transplant Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, who emphasized global frameworks and India’s path forward in creating sustainable organ donation systems. The evening concluded with a lamp-lighting ceremony, felicitation of guests, and a gala dinner celebrating collaboration and progress in transplantation medicine.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Ayanabh Debgupta, Regional COO, Manipal Health Enterprise Pvt. Ltd., said, “It is imperative that organ and tissue donation become an integral part of End-of-Life Care across every state and Union Territory. At Manipal Hospitals, we are committed to promoting best practices through Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST) and building a transparent, compassionate, and efficient organ donation ecosystem that bridges the gap between need and availability. We, as a society, must dispel the myths surrounding organ donation and encourage more people to come forward, as every 17 minutes someone dies waiting for a transplant, while every 13 minutes another person is added to the waiting list. A single donor can save up to seven lives. Eastern India, with its medical excellence and dedicated professionals, has the potential to become a leading hub for organ donation and transplantation, and this summit marks a significant step in that direction.”

Through this initiative, Manipal Hospitals continues to advance its mission of creating awareness and driving transformation in organ donation and transplantation across India. The Organ Donation Summit 2025 stands as a testament to the power of knowledge exchange and collaboration in saving lives and shaping the future of ethical healthcare practices.