India becomes leading nation in living donor liver transplantation

NEW DELHI: India has overtaken all countries in annual living donor liver transplant numbers, according to figures shared at the annual conference of the Liver Transplantation Society of India (LTSICON 2025) in Delhi on Sunday. Experts at the meeting cited data from the Global Observatory on Organ Donation and Transplantation and the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization to underline the scale of Indias achievement. The conference, among the most significant global gatherings in the field, is backed by international bodies including the International Liver Transplantation Society and the International Living Donor Liver Transplantation study group. According to the data presented, India performed around 5,000 liver transplants in 2024, supported by more than 200 active transplant centres operating across the country. Dr. Abhideep Chaudhary, President-Elect of the Liver Transplantation Society of India and organising chairman of this years conference, said the country has consistently recorded the highest number of living donor procedures worldwide. He said the volume is matched by strict oversight. Every LDLT conducted in India now follows a stringent, transparent and legally monitored process, ensuring the safety of both donor and recipient. The entire system is governed by state and national regulatory bodies, he said. Most donors in India are close relatives, and each case undergoes multiple layers of medical, psychological and ethical scrutiny before approval. Dr. Chaudhary said this rigorous evaluation has enabled India to maintain success rates often comparable to and sometimes better than many developed nations. Experts at the conference pointed out that several countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa still lack fully established liver transplant programmes. Dr. Sanjiv Saigal, the current president of the Liver Transplantation Society of India, said limited access has historically pushed patients to Western countries, where costs remain prohibitive. He said Indias rise is closely tied to its ability to deliver advanced care at accessible prices. The cost of a liver transplant in India is a fraction of what it is in Western countries, without any compromise on quality or patient outcomes. This has positioned India as a global destination for patients from Asia, the Middle East and Africa who seek world-class treatment at an affordable cost, he said. With demand rising domestically and internationally, specialists said the countrys leadership in living donor transplantation reflects both expanding medical capacity and a health system increasingly recognised for its outcomes and affordability.