Karnataka to establish organ retrieval centres in 22 medical colleges to boost transplants and awareness

Despite 28 organ retrieval centres in Karnataka, transplant numbers remain dismal. The government now plans to expand infrastructure across 22 medical college hospitals.

In a renewed effort to bridge the gap between organ donation and transplants in Karnataka, the state government is planning to establish organ retrieval centres in all 22 medical college hospitals across the state. This move comes just months after Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, affiliated with Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, received a ₹1 crore grant to set up an advanced transplant and retrieval unit.

, addressing a recent organ donation awareness event hosted by the Rotary Club, highlighted the disparity between policy and practice. “There are guidelines for establishing retrieval centres in medical education institutes, but the real challenge lies in proper execution,” he said.

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According to data from the health department, Karnataka currently has 28 Non-Transplant Human Organ Retrieval Centres (NTHORC), including a few under the medical education department. Yet, the state witnessed only 36 organ transplants between 2022 and 2024, pointing to severe underutilisation of existing infrastructure.

The low transplant numbers are largely attributed to the lack of awareness and reluctance among families of deceased individuals to donate organs. The minister emphasized the urgent need for trained grief counsellors in government hospitals to ethically guide families of brain-dead patients through the donation process.

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Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil added that infrastructure gaps remain a major barrier. “We need the health department’s support to fund facilities. While retrieval can happen in colleges, transplants require super-specialty hospitals,” he noted.

A state-level committee is being formed to identify priority areas for both organ retrieval and transplant centres. The government aims not only to improve existing facilities but also ensure that new centres are strategically located near transplant hospitals to maximise their impact.

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