Centre abolishes all age limits for organ donation, to adopt 'one nation, one policy'

"The Centre has decided to do away with the domicile requirement and all the states have been informed about the same. Now the needy person can go to any state of the country and register for getting organ and also get the transplant done. Earlier the organ donation policy of the states required the domicile of the needy person to undertake the organ donation," said a Health Ministry source.

The source said that the Centre has decided to do away with a clause in the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation guidelines as the clause violates the Right to Life.

"Now an individual of any age can register for organ transplant," the source said.

As per the guidelines, there is a restriction on people above 65 years from receiving organ and to register for organ donation. However, the Centre has decided to abolish this age limit. Now a person of any age will be able to register for receiving organ, the source said.

The government of India had held consultative meeting with all the states to implement this policy on January 9. In September last year, doctors had also advised the government to push for mandatory deceased organ donation.

"We are introducing a chapter in school curriculum to create awareness regarding organ donation," said sources.

According to data accessed from the Health Ministry, total organ transplants increased by over three times from 4,990 in 2013 to 15,561 in 2022. Of the 15,561 transplants, a majority -- 12,791 (82 per cent) -- are living organ transplants and 2,765 (18 per cent) are deceased organ or cadaver transplants.

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