Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) has approved private hospitals in Ujjain and Burhanpur to conduct organ transplants. This development will enable residents in smaller districts to undergo transplants locally, without the need to travel to major cities like Bhopal or Indore.
Recently, transplant facilities have also been launched in Rewa and Jabalpur, signalling an expansion of organ donation facilities. The progress owes much to a recent transplant coordinator training programme held at MGM Medical College, Indore. The programme brought together coordinators from across Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states—Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat—to learn and standardise practices in organ donation and transplant coordination.
Dr Sanjay Dixit, dean MGM Medical College and appropriate authority, SOTTO, said that the new transplant facilities in smaller districts will encourage organ donation at the local level.
“Private hospitals in these districts have been permitted to conduct kidney transplant procedures. Trained coordinators in these areas will educate and support families of brain-dead patients, facilitating the decision-making process around organ donation and eliminating the need to transfer patients to larger hospitals for donations,” Dr Dixit said.
Indore leads in organ donation across the state
Indore remains the state leader in organ donations, accounting for 80 per cent of all donations in Madhya Pradesh. The city’s 10 hospitals equipped for transplants have enabled 57 green corridors to date, transporting organs swiftly and saving numerous lives.
Cadaver organ donation in Indore has surged from 106 donations in 2015 to 293 in 2023. Over the past decade, more than 12,500 eye donations, 760 skin donations, and over 300 whole-body donations have taken place in the city.
“With the new permissions in Burhanpur and Ujjain, local hospitals will soon offer transplant services, expanding the reach of life-saving treatments. During the MGM Medical College training programme, coordinators gained practical skills for engaging families in organ donation, supporting the state’s goal to increase organ donation and transplant availability in all areas.
Dr Sanjay Dixit, Dean and Competent Authority (SOTTO)
