Andhra Pradesh High Court Asks State To Submit Clear Draft Policy On Expansion Of Organ Transplant Facilities
While hearing a 2016 PIL highlighting the lack of medical centres catering to organ transplants, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has asked the State to place on record a clear draft policy delineating its proposed expansion of organ transplant facilities.
Previously, on 10.12.2025, the Court had directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare, to provide a detailed affidavit regarding relevant data concerning hospitals where requisite facilities for organ transplant in terms of qualified Doctors and infrastructure was available, which could then be registered as Organ Transplant Centres (OTC).
However, in the affidavit submitted by the Principal Secretary, it was stated that making a provision for organ transplant across all 100 bedded hospitals was not possible, as the same would impose unsustainable burden on the public exchequer and may adversely impact other essential healthcare services. Further, it was stated that the State presently possessed an adequate number of Organ Transplant Centres to perform organ transplant operations both in the private sector and also the Government hospitals.
The affidavit, in para 10, had also suggested that the Government was considering it as a matter of policy and formulating a plan by virtue of which phased implementation for improvement of deceased donor organ transplantation would be put in place by the end of 2030. This was stated to be undertaken in two phases— in Phase I, the organ transplantation facilities in existing tertiary care and teaching hospitals with adequate infrastructure would be undertaken; and in Phase-II, a gradual expansion would be undertaken for capacity building.
However, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Challa Gunaranjan observed,
“The averments made in para No.10 are quite general in character. It is not clear as to what precisely is the policy and the contours thereof which needs to be understood and examined.”
Accordingly, the Division Bench directed the Secretary to place on record the draft policy on or before the next date of hearing, which is 22.07.2026.
Case Title: President, Gareeb Guide (Voluntary Organization), Hyderabad Vs. State of Andhra Pradesh and others
Case Number: WP(PIL) NO: 93 of 2016