Uttar Pradesh will constitute a dedicated task force to strengthen and streamline the corneal transplant ecosystem in the state, Amit Ghosh, additional chief secretary (ACS), announced at a high-level medical dialogue held at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) here on Saturday.
The announcement came at ‘Netra Manthan’, a state-level brainstorming session that brought together over 180 ophthalmologists, transplant coordinators, administrators, and policymakers to address a stark public health reality: corneal blindness is largely reversible, yet thousands remain visually impaired due to systemic failures.
The proposed task force will include senior government officials, representatives from the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation – Uttar Pradesh (SOTTO–UP), and leading cornea transplant surgeons. Its mandate will cover improved coordination, infrastructure upgrades, and broader patient access to quality corneal transplant services, according to the additional chief secretary.
The numbers paint a grim picture. India retrieved 49,315 corneas in 2023–24, yet only 27,394 were found suitable for transplantation, according to data from the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). The country needs between 100,000 and 200,000 corneas annually, with an estimated 1-1.2 million people currently affected by corneal blindness and 20,000–25,000 new cases added each year.
Prof Radha Krishna Dhiman, SGPGIMS director, stressed the role of transplant coordinators in guiding families through donation decisions with empathy, while ensuring timely retrieval and ethical allocation of corneas.
{{/usCountry}}Prof Radha Krishna Dhiman, SGPGIMS director, stressed the role of transplant coordinators in guiding families through donation decisions with empathy, while ensuring timely retrieval and ethical allocation of corneas.
{{/usCountry}}Professor Rajesh Harshwardhan, joint director of SOTTO–UP and medical superintendent of SGPGIMS, called for a decentralised, technology-driven approach where prevention is prioritised and no donated cornea goes unused.
Prof Vikas Kannaujia, head of the ophthalmology department at the SGPGIMS, called for greater voluntary donation alongside prevention efforts. Dr Shefali Mazumdar from SNMC Agra pushed for digital tracking systems and stronger hospital-based donor identification.
‘From Hope to Healing’ book released
During the event, a book titled ‘From Hope to Healing: A Practical Guide to Transplant System in India’, authored by professor Rajesh Harshwardhan, joint director, SOTTO UP and medical superintendent, SGPGIMS, was released by Amit Ghosh, additional chief secretary, department of medical education, UP. The book presents a detailed overview of India’s transplant framework, outlining its policies, structure and implementation process. It also focuses on the need to strengthen organ transplant infrastructure and expand awareness initiatives across the country.