Gender gap persists in India's organ transplants

Fresh data released by the Indian government has reignited concerns over gender inequality in India's organ transplant system. The figures show that women continue to donate organs in far greater numbers than men, but when it comes to receiving life-saving transplants, men account for the overwhelming majority of recipients.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, women made up 68 per cent of all living organ donors in 2025. More than 11,300 women donated organs, compared with around 5,300 men. However, men received 78 per cent of all organ transplants, while women accounted for just 22 per cent of recipients.

Government data shows that kidney transplants remained the most common organ transplant procedure in India last year, accounting for more than 62 per cent of all transplants. Liver transplants made up more than 20 per cent of the total in 2025.

The disparity is particularly visible in living kidney donations. Women accounted for 71 per cent of living kidney donors, while men represented 77 per cent of transplant recipients.

Health experts say kidney and liver donations in India often take place within families, with women frequently donating organs to husbands or other male relatives. According to experts, economic dependence, limited access to healthcare and family decision-making often prevent women from getting onto transplant waiting lists in time.

Experts also point to deep-rooted social expectations and patriarchal norms that often prioritise the health and economic role of male family members. Studies further suggest that women are generally more willing to donate organs, a trend reinforced by socialisation and the normalisation of bodily sacrifice through experiences such as pregnancy.

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Medical experts say pregnancy-related immune sensitisation and differences in organ size can also reduce women's chances of finding compatible organs.

The World Health Organisation and studies published in medical journals have also linked gender disparities in organ transplantation to lower referral rates for women, delayed diagnosis and financial barriers. Similar trends have been reported in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and the United States.

India's National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation has issued an advisory calling for stronger oversight, improved training for transplant coordinators and regular monitoring of gender disparities in the transplant system. However, experts say the wider challenge remains whether these measures alone can close the gap or if broader changes in societal attitudes are also needed.