200 Lives Lost While Waiting Nephrologist Dr Girish Vasudeo Explains How Organ Donation Can Help Treat Kidney Failure

For patients living with kidney failure, the choice between long-term dialysis and a kidney transplant can significantly affect their quality of life, independence and long-term health. While dialysis remains a critical, life-sustaining treatment, a successful kidney transplant, when medically appropriate, can offer greater freedom from regular dialysis and better long-term outcomes. However, the shortage of donor organs continues to leave thousands of patients waiting for a transplant in India.Dr Girish Vasudeo Kumthekar, HOD, Nephrology Department, Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, Pune, tells Health Shots, “Kidney failure is a major and growing healthcare challenge in India, and the current transplant waiting list illustrates the scale of the gap between need and availability. As of July 2026, more than 73,000 patients were awaiting kidney transplantation in India, according to data presented by the Union Government in Parliament."More concerningly, more than 200 patients died in 2025 while waiting for a kidney transplant, underscoring that for many patients, the shortage of donor organs is not simply a matter of delayed treatment; it can become a matter of life and death. Dialysis remains an essential, life-sustaining treatment for patients with kidney failure. Still, it requires regular, ongoing sessions and can place a considerable physical, emotional and financial burden on patients and families.“A kidney transplant, when medically appropriate, can offer freedom from dialysis, greater independence and improved quality of life, while also providing better long-term outcomes for many suitable patients” says the doctor.India has made considerable progress in transplantation. However, deceased-donor organs accounted for only around 18% of transplants, highlighting the continuing dependence on living donors and the significant potential to expand deceased organ donation. Swap kidney transplantation, where two otherwise incompatible donor-recipient pairs exchange donors so that each recipient receives a compatible kidney, can also help widen the living-donor pool and allow more patients to undergo transplantation.How to spread awareness about organ donation?Spreading awareness about organ donation is everyone's responsibility. Organ donation is not only about increasing transplant numbers; it is about ensuring that patients who have reached kidney failure are given a realistic opportunity to move beyond lifelong dialysis and regain a better quality of life.Every decision to donate can have a profound impact. Greater awareness, timely registration, understanding options such as swap transplantation and, most importantly, conversations within families can help bridge this critical gap.For many patients, dialysis becomes a long-term part of everyday life. Although it performs some functions of failing kidneys, regular sessions can affect work, travel and daily routines, while also creating financial and emotional pressures for patients and caregivers.Is dialysis necessary after a kidney transplant?A kidney transplant can provide greater independence for medically suitable patients by reducing or eliminating dependence on dialysis. However, it requires careful medical evaluation, donor-recipient compatibility, lifelong medication and regular follow-up.Swap transplantation, also known as paired kidney exchange, can be particularly valuable when a willing donor is not compatible with the intended recipient. By matching two incompatible donor-recipient pairs, both recipients may receive compatible kidneys, potentially expanding access to living-donor transplantation.Expanding deceased organ donation remains equally important. Greater public awareness, timely registration and open conversations within families can help create a stronger culture of donation. For patients waiting for a kidney, every donor can represent more than a transplant; it can mean an opportunity to move beyond lifelong dialysis and return to a more independent life.(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.)