Gujarat’s kidney transplant system has expanded significantly over the past five years, with the number of procedures rising by more than half between 2021 and 2025. But behind this progress is a worrying reality: patients are still dying while waiting for a suitable donor organ.
According to data presented in the Lok Sabha on August 7, Gujarat performed 4,489 kidney transplants between 2021 and 2025. Annual procedures increased from 685 in 2021 to 1,099 in 2025, marking a rise of around 60.4 per cent.
At the same time, 16 patients in Gujarat died while waiting for a kidney transplant during these five years. The figures show that increasing transplant capacity alone has not solved the larger problem of getting donor organs to patients in time.
Kidney Transplants Rise Nearly 60% in Five Years
Gujarat’s transplant numbers show a clear overall upward trend, although the growth was not steady every year.
The state performed 685 kidney transplants in 2021, followed by 869 in 2022. The number then fell slightly to 818 in 2023 before rising sharply to 1,018 in 2024.
The growth continued in 2025, when Gujarat recorded 1,099 kidney transplants, its highest annual figure during the five-year period.
Overall, the annual number of procedures increased by 60.4 per cent between 2021 and 2025.
The biggest year-on-year increase came in 2024. Transplants rose from 818 in 2023 to 1,018 in 2024, an increase of nearly 24.4 per cent. In 2025, the number increased by another 8 per cent. Together, Gujarat recorded:
685 transplants in 2021
869 in 2022
818 in 2023
1,018 in 2024
1,099 in 2025
This adds up to 4,489 kidney transplants over the five years.
Gujarat Accounts for 7.2% of the Combined Figure
The increase in Gujarat is part of a wider national rise in kidney transplantation.
Across the states and Union Territories included in the government’s five-year data, 62,189 kidney transplants were recorded between 2021 and 2025.
Gujarat’s 4,489 procedures account for approximately 7.2 per cent of this combined total.
The state was not among the top three transplant-performing states during the five-year period, but its figures still place it among the significant contributors to India’s overall kidney transplant activity.
Nationally, the number of kidney transplants across the states and Union Territories listed in the annexure increased from 9,105 in 2021 to 14,477 in 2025 — a rise of nearly 59 per cent.
In other words, Gujarat’s growth has broadly followed the wider national expansion in kidney transplant activity.
But Patients Are Still Dying While Waiting
The rising number of surgeries tells only one part of the story.
Government data shows that 16 patients in Gujarat died while waiting for a kidney transplant between 2021 and 2025. The annual figures were:
2021: 6 deaths
2022: 0 deaths
2023: 2 deaths
2024: 1 death
2025: 7 deaths
The sharp rise in 2025 is particularly concerning. Seven patients died while waiting for a transplant that year, the highest annual figure recorded by Gujarat during the five-year period.
For patients with severe kidney disease or end-stage kidney failure, waiting for a suitable organ can be a race against time. Many depend on regular dialysis while they remain on the transplant waiting list. Their health can deteriorate if a suitable kidney is not found soon enough.
The figures therefore highlight a difficult reality: more transplants do not automatically mean that every patient who needs a kidney will receive one in time.
Gujarat’s Waiting List Cannot Be Fully Measured
The government data provides the number of patients who died while waiting in Gujarat, but the annexure does not provide the state’s current total kidney transplant waiting-list population.
Because of this, a Gujarat-specific waiting-list mortality rate cannot be calculated from the available figures.
Still, the deaths recorded over the five-year period demonstrate the continuing challenge of timely organ availability.
The issue is not only about whether hospitals have the expertise or infrastructure to perform transplant surgery. The availability of a suitable donor kidney is equally critical.
More Than 73,000 Patients Waiting Across India
The pressure is even greater when viewed at the national level.
As of July 27, 2026, a total of 73,646 patients across India were waiting for kidney transplantation, according to the latest national data presented in Parliament.
Such a large waiting list shows the gap between the number of patients who need kidney transplants and the number of organs available for transplantation.
For patients with serious kidney disease, every additional month on the waiting list can carry serious health risks.
Government Steps Up Organ Donation Efforts
The Centre has been taking steps to increase organ donation and improve the transplant system through the National Organ Transplant Programme.
Under the programme, funding is being provided to states and Union Territories for organ donation, transplantation and awareness activities.
Organ donation campaigns are also being conducted through the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), along with Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (ROTTOs) and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (SOTTOs).
The government has said that more than five lakh Aadhaar-verified organ and tissue donation pledges have been registered.
New Digital Platform to Track Transplant Processes
The government has also introduced new digital measures to improve the organ donation and transplantation system.
On August 3, 2026, the National Registry Portal was upgraded to e-Pratyaaropan, a digital platform intended to digitise organ donation and transplantation processes, improve transparency and make services easier to access for patients.
The Centre has also launched the nationwide, year-long “Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyaan” from August 3 to promote organ and tissue donation and encourage more people to pledge their organs.
The aim is to increase awareness and, ultimately, expand the pool of available donor organs.
The Bigger Challenge: Getting Organs in Time
Gujarat’s figures present a mixed picture. On one hand, the state has significantly expanded its kidney transplant activity. Going from 685 procedures in 2021 to 1,099 in 2025 reflects greater transplant capacity and medical infrastructure.
On the other hand, 16 waiting-list deaths over five years, including seven in 2025, show that patients can still lose their lives before a suitable organ becomes available.
This means the challenge is no longer simply about performing more transplant surgeries. It is also about ensuring that enough organs are donated, identified, allocated and transported quickly enough to reach patients who urgently need them.
For Gujarat and the country as a whole, increasing organ donation could be one of the most important steps toward reducing the waiting period.
The message from the latest figures is clear: India’s transplant capacity is growing, but the demand for kidneys continues to outpace the supply of donor organs. Until that gap narrows, some patients will continue to face the risk of dying before their turn for a transplant arrives.
Also Read: From Taboo To National Award: The Gujarati Film That Challenged Eye Donation Myths https://www.vibesofindia.com/dhiru-mistry-saath-kuch-na-jayega-organ-donation-film/
