Jharkhand Moves to Expand Kidney Transplant Facilities, Two Hospitals Get Approval

Ranchi: Jharkhand is taking steps to expand organ transplantation services and strengthen facilities for kidney transplants within the state. The kidney transplant proposals of Paras HEC Hospital in Ranchi and Medanta Abdur Razzaque Ansari Memorial Weavers Hospital have been approved by the state-level Organ Transplant Advisory Committee.

The committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of Ajay Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary of the Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Department. Discussions focused on hospital registration and renewal proposals, the development of kidney transplant services at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, and improving organ donation procedures involving brain-dead patients.

During the meeting, proposals related to cornea and kidney transplantation at several hospitals, including Jamshedpur Eye Hospital, Medanta, Paras HEC Hospital and Orchid Medical Centre in Ranchi, were reviewed. The committee considered further action in accordance with the prescribed standards and procedures.

Jharkhand Approves Guidelines for Organ Donation

The state government has also approved the issuance of the Jharkhand Guidelines for Deceased Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation. The guidelines aim to establish a systematic and transparent framework for organ donation and transplantation.

Key provisions include the mandatory declaration of brain death, organ retrieval from brain-dead patients at hospitals that do not have transplant facilities, post-mortem procedures in medico-legal cases, and the creation of green corridors for the rapid transportation of donated organs.

The guidelines are intended to improve coordination between government and private hospitals, ensure compliance with established procedures, and facilitate timely organ transportation for patients requiring life-saving treatment.

The government resolution refers to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, and its subsequent amendments. It also mentions the establishment of the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation, or SOTTO, at RIMS, Ranchi. According to the resolution, the guidelines received approval at the state Cabinet meeting held on September 2, 2025.

Focus on Kidney Transplant Services at RIMS

The committee also reviewed the current status of kidney transplant services at RIMS, including the availability of specialist doctors, trained faculty, infrastructure and other essential facilities.

Ajay Kumar Singh directed officials to take concrete steps to develop the kidney transplant programme at the institute. He called for identifying three to four qualified doctors from Jharkhand to form a dedicated team. The possibility of bringing in one or two specialists from outside the state for training and practical support was also discussed.

The meeting further emphasised exploring coordination with specialists from Christian Medical College, Vellore, to strengthen the clinical expertise of RIMS doctors and help develop the infrastructure required for kidney transplantation.

Detailed information was sought from Dr Pragya Ghosh Pant, head of the Department of Nephrology at RIMS, regarding the availability of specialists, existing infrastructure and the requirements for starting or expanding kidney transplant services.

Singh said that developing kidney transplant facilities within Jharkhand would improve access to specialised medical care and reduce patients’ dependence on hospitals in other states.

Efforts to Strengthen Organ Donation and Transportation

The meeting also discussed coordination between hospitals, procedures for organ donation from brain-dead patients, safe transportation of donated organs and the expansion of transplantation services across Jharkhand.

Officials expressed hope that effective implementation of the guidelines would increase awareness about organ donation and strengthen the state’s capacity to provide transplant services to patients in need.

Those present included Director-in-Chief of Health Services Dr Siddharth Sanyal; Dr Hemant Narayan Rai, head of the Department of Cardiology at RIMS; Dr Pragya Ghosh Pant, head of the Department of Nephrology; the head of the Department of Ophthalmology; Jharkhand High Court advocate Nirupama Curesta; hospital director Dr Sanjay Kumar; Deputy Secretary Dhruv Prasad; and officials from SOTTO.

The meeting concluded with an emphasis on following prescribed transplantation standards, reviewing hospital registration proposals, and developing the specialist workforce and infrastructure needed to expand organ and tissue transplantation services in Jharkhand.