Nearly 5,000 patients await Kidney transplants in Karnataka amid growing demand
Bengaluru: Nearly 5,000 patients in Karnataka are currently on the waiting list for kidney transplants, highlighting a widening gap between demand and availability of donor organs in the state. According to data from the Health and Family Welfare Department, 4,922 patients were registered for kidney transplants as of December 2025, even as only about 300 such procedures were carried out during the year.
A detailed report published by Deccan Herald noted that the waiting list for other organ transplants is far smaller in comparison. As per official data, 698 patients are registered for liver transplants, 118 for heart transplants and 44 for lung transplants. In 2025, kidney donations from 150 donors benefited around 300 recipients, while 161 livers, 49 hearts and 29 lungs were donated. Despite this, patients seeking a kidney transplant often face a waiting period of two to three years.
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Doctors and health officials have attributed the rising pressure on the transplant system to the sharp increase in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, which are major causes of chronic kidney disease. These conditions not only add to the number of patients requiring transplants but also reduce the pool of eligible donors.
D. P. Arun Kumar, programme officer of Jeevasarthakathe, the State Organ Tissue and Transplant Organisation under the Health and Family Welfare Department, told Deccan Herald that uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension significantly limit donor eligibility. He said individuals with these conditions, or with existing kidney damage, cannot donate kidneys. In addition, blood group compatibility and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) matching further restrict donor options. He explained that while a complete HLA match is generally expected only among parents or siblings, mismatches can be managed through immunosuppressive therapy.
Unlike liver transplants, where allocation is based on the severity of illness, kidney transplants in Karnataka are allotted according to the seniority of registration. Arun Kumar said this system is followed because patients can be sustained on dialysis until a suitable kidney becomes available.
To reduce the financial burden on patients, the state government provides assistance to economically weaker sections. Below Poverty Line card holders are eligible for ₹2 lakh towards transplant costs and ₹1 lakh annually for post-transplant care, applicable in both government and private hospitals. Free kidney transplant services are currently available at the Institute of Nephro Urology at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru and at KIMS Hubballi, with plans underway to extend the facility to KR Hospital in Mysuru.
Dr Kristina George, consultant nephrologist and renal transplant specialist, said that although there has been some improvement in public willingness to consider organ donation, India still lags far behind global standards. She pointed to mistrust in healthcare systems, lack of awareness and religious concerns as major reasons families hesitate to consent to deceased organ donation. She noted that this year alone, 13 families declined consent despite donors being medically eligible.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the government is planning to introduce structured transplant counselling for families of the deceased in government hospitals, with the aim of improving consent rates and strengthening the organ donation programme in the state.
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MP HC sets up judicial commission to probe water contamination in Indore
Indore (PTI): The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry comprising a former HC judge to probe the issue of water contamination in city's Bhagirathpura, saying the matter requires probe by an independent, credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny".
It also directed the commission to submit an interim report after four weeks from the date of commencement of proceedings.
A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the commission while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously regarding the deaths of several people in Bhagirathpura due to the consumption of contaminated water.
The HC reserved the order after hearing all the parties during the day, and released it late at night.
The state government on Tuesday told the HC that the deaths of 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area was possibly linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The government presented an audit report of 23 deaths from the current gastroenteritis epidemic in Bhagirathpura before the bench, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities may have been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The report, prepared by a committee of five experts from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of four people in Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, while no conclusion could be reached regarding the cause of death of three other people in the area.
During the hearing, the high court sought to know from the state government the scientific basis behind its report.
The division bench also expressed surprise at the state government's use of the term "verbal autopsy" in relation to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the term for the first time.
The HC expressed concern over the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the situation was "alarming," and noted that cases of people falling ill due to contaminated drinking water have also been reported in Mhow, near Indore.
In its order, the HC said the serious issue concerning contamination of the drinking water supply in Bhagirathpura area allegedly resulted in widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons.
According to the petitioners and media reports, death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record, it said.
It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage in the pipeline, and failure of civic authorities to maintain potable water standards have led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, medical reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie indicate a matter requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.
"Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the need for an independent fact-finding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter requires investigation by an independent, credible authority," it said.
"Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, former judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the HC added.
As per the order, the commission shall inquire into and submit a report on the cause of contamination -- whether the drinking water supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the source and nature of contamination (sewage ingress, industrial discharge, pipeline damage etc).
The panel will also probe the number of actual deaths of affected residents on account of contaminated water; find out the nature of disease reported and adequacy of medical response and preventive measures; suggest immediate steps required to ensure safe drinking water as well as long-term infrastructural and monitoring reforms.
It will also identify and fix responsibility upon the officers and officials found prima facie responsible for the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, particularly vulnerable sections.
The commission shall have powers of a civil court for the purpose of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the government department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering water quality testing through accredited laboratories; conducting spot inspections.
All state authorities involving district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, public health engineering department and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall extend full co-operation and provide records as sought by the commission, it said.
The state government shall provide office space, staff, and logistical support to the commission, it said.
During the hearing in the day, the state government also presented a status report to the court in this matter.
According to reports, a total of 454 patients were admitted to local hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhea outbreak, of whom 441 have been discharged after treatment, and 11 are currently hospitalised.
According to officials, due to a leak in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was also mixed in the water.
