TN retains top position in organ donation for 8th time; plaque to honour donors to be installed in colleges
In 2024 alone, 268 organ donations were recorded, for which the Union government conferred the best state award on Tamil Nadu
Health Minister Ma Subramanian (X)
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has been recognised as the best-performing state in organ donation for the eighth consecutive time, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Tuesday.
Speaking at an event organised by the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN) to mark Organ Donation Day 2025 at Kalaivanar Arangam here, the minister honoured donor families and doctors for their significant contribution to transplant services.
He said Chief Minister MK Stalin's announcement had encouraged 522 individuals to donate their organs so far, while 23,189 people had registered as donors. In 2024 alone, 268 organ donations were recorded, for which the Union government conferred the best state award on Tamil Nadu.
Tracing the history of the initiative, he recalled that the late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi launched the cadaver organ transplant programme on September 5, 2008, which led to the formation of TRANSTAN.
The minister noted that four government medical colleges, Nagapattinam, Karur, Sivaganga, and Kallakurichi, have not yet carried out transplant surgeries. He urged the institutions to take steps to initiate such procedures in the future.
Subramanian announced that from the first week of October, all government medical colleges will install uniform plaques at their entrances carrying the names of organ donors, in recognition of their contribution.
He also said that under the expanded state health insurance scheme, eight types of organ transplant surgeries are now covered, compared to two earlier.
On admissions, he added that 613 students have enrolled under the 7.5 per cent MBBS quota for government school students, with counselling for the remaining eight seats to begin soon.