~ Initiative to Boost Awareness and Inter-Hospital Collaboration ~
Mumbai / Kolkata : Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST), a pioneering initiative under Manipal Hospitals, launched its Eastern Region chapter of ‘Deceased Organ and Tissue Donation’ today at Medica Superspecialty Hospital (a unit of Manipal Hospitals Network). The launch event witnessed the presence of eminent dignitaries and senior medical experts including Prof. (Dr) Manimay Bandhopadhyay, Director of Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) & Director- Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGMER), Prof. (Dr.) Aniruddha Neogi, State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) Nodal Officer - Swasthya Bhawan, Prof. (Dr.) Debansu Sarkar, joint director ROTTO, Dr (Col) Avnish Seth, VSM, Country Head of Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant, Dr. Arpita Ray Chowdhury (Lahiri), Senior Consultant – Nephrology and Transplant President of the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation (ISOT) and Consultant, Department of Nephrology, Manipal Hospital, Mukundapur, Dr. Shugota Chakrabarti, Regional Head – Medical Services, Manipal Hospitals – East, and Dr. Ayanabh Debgupta, Regional COO, Manipal Hospitals, East. Also present were leading healthcare professionals from across Eastern India, including specialists from Manipal Hospitals and other leading institutions, marking a collective step toward enhancing deceased organ donation systems through collaboration and public sensitization.
Even with improvements in medical care, India has a huge shortage of demand and supply of organs, with over 6,000 individuals dying each day because of the unavailability of transplants. Kidney and liver transplants from living donors have had some improvement, but organs like the heart and lungs can be obtained only from brain-dead donors, with awareness and consent rates being woefully low. According to estimates, more than 7,000 to 8,000 patients a year may stand to benefit from heart transplants alone, but fewer than 400 surgeries are conducted. The Eastern zone, especially, remains to witness long-term activity in this area, and initiatives such as MOST are essential to transform that scenario.
In his address, Prof. (Dr) Manimay Bandhopadhyay, Director of Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) & Director- Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGMER), shared, “It is heartening to see the Manipal Group of Hospitals take such a committed step toward deceased organ donation. For ROTTO, this is a much-needed ray of hope. While we saw an initial rise in organ donation around 2018, progress since then has largely plateaued, and the pandemic further impacted momentum. One of the key challenges lies in the emotionally charged moment when families are asked to consider donation—often right after the sudden and traumatic loss of a loved one. This is where the role of ICU and critical care doctors becomes pivotal, as they are the closest point of contact with families during those crucial hours. At ROTTO, we are focusing on training and sensitizing these professionals to better support grieving families and ensure transparent, compassionate conversations. The collective efforts of corporate hospitals like Manipal, with their multispecialty strength and multiple units, offer a promising opportunity to increase organ utilization and reduce the burden on living donors. We are committed to extending full technical and operational support in this mission.”
Dr. Arpita Ray Chowdhury (Lahiri), Senior Consultant – Nephrology and Transplant President of the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation (ISOT) and Consultant, Department of Nephrology, Manipal Hospital, Mukundapur, explained, “The launch of the Eastern chapter of MOST marks a critical leap toward bridging the glaring gap between organ demand and availability in this region. At its core, this initiative stands to normalize the conversation around deceased organ donation—both within the medical community and among the public. Its our believe that creating trust, sensitizing families, and strengthening inter-hospital coordination are the pillars of this mission. With Manipal’s commitment and collective medical will, we can transform lives by turning every potential loss into a legacy of hope.”
Dr. Shugota Chakrabarti, Regional Head – Medical Services, East Region, Manipal Hospitals, emphasized the importance of creating systemic awareness and strengthening inter-hospital coordination and shared, “The launch of this initiative is not just a milestone for Manipal Hospitals but a turning point for Eastern India’s healthcare ecosystem. In 17 mins someone dies waiting for a transplant. Every 13 minutes someone is added to the waiting list, here deceased organ donation is one of the most compassionate gifts, one can offer, and yet, it remains underutilized due to lack of awareness and coordinated infrastructure. Through this initiative, we aim to build a robust, transparent, and empathetic system—one that supports grieving families, empowers medical professionals, and ultimately gives patients a second chance at life.”
Dr (Col) Avnish Seth, VSM, Country Head of Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant, said, “Due to tremendous efforts of all stakeholders in the country over last two decades, India now stands 3rd in the world in organ transplants and 8th in the world in deceased organ donations. However, this is largely due to the efforts of a few states and pockets of excellence. Less than 10% of those who need organ transplants manage to get one. It is time that organ and tissue donation became an integral part of End-of-Life Care in every state and UT. The mission statement of MOST is to promote best practices in this field in 37 Manipal Hospitals and provide expertise to all parts of the country.”
Dr. Ayanabh Debgupta, Regional Chief Operating Officer Manipal Hospitals - East, added, “We are happy to bring Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST) vision to the East. The collective expertise and energy present at today’s event are a testimony to the region’s readiness to act. With enhanced collaboration, robust infrastructure, and continuous education, we can turn grief into hope, and loss into life. Through MOST, we shall reiterate on training programs for ICU doctors & nurses, mass media campaigns for greater awareness across districts and teir II * III towns. We shall also recommend inclusion of organ donation topics in the school curricula along with recognition for donor families.”
The launch event also featured keynote addresses, a lamp-lighting ceremony, and a thought-provoking panel discussion on “Measures to Increase Deceased Organ Donation by Inter-Hospital Collaboration in Eastern India”, with participation from renowned nephrologists, intensivists, transplant surgeons, and critical care experts from across the healthcare spectrum.