Two successful heart transplants encourage organ pledge registrations across Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 18 (ANI): Kerala has witnessed a surge in organ pledge registrations following two successful heart transplant surgeries conducted at Lisie Hospital, Kochi, on September 11 and 13. In a week, 650 new organ pledges were recorded, bringing the total to 7,866 registrations, with 193 pledges added on September 12 and 180 Pledges added on September 13, which is the highest ever.
According to official data of the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram leads the district tally with 1,942 registrations, followed by Ernakulam (867), Kollam (763), and Kozhikode (667). The majority of new pledges came from individuals in the 30-45 age group.
The spike comes in the wake of two successful heart transplants carried out at Lisie Hospital, Kochi, under the leadership of cardiac surgeon Dr. Jose Chacko Periyappuram.
On September 11, the heart of Issac George, a brain-dead patient in Thiruvananthapuram, was airlifted to Kochi and transplanted into a 28-year-old from Angamaly. Just two days later, the heart of 18-year-old Biljith, who succumbed to injuries in an accident, was transplanted into a 13-year-old patient.
Speaking to ANI, Health Minister Veena George expressed gratitude to the families of the donors, and said, "I would like to thank the relatives of the young ones who, in their deep sorrow, decided to donate the organs. Kerala has faced challenges in reporting brain-death cases as doctors were required to move the court. But with the court's verdict easing the process, we are now seeing donations happening. We have around 2,500 people waiting, especially for kidneys and hearts. While it is tragic that young lives are lost, the decision of families to donate is truly commendable."
She also urged more people to register pledges under the state's organ donation program Mrithasanjeevani.
Dr. Noble Gracious, Executive Director of Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (KSOTTO), said the state was overcoming years of public mistrust following misconceptions spread by the Malayalam film Joseph and said, "For the last 4-5 years, Kerala witnessed a decline in organ donations because of the movie Joseph, which raised doubts about brain death procedures. But these recent donations on the 12th and 13th have triggered a spike, especially among people aged 30-45. On one day alone, we received 183 pledges. The momentum continues, with over 120 registrations daily. "
"The idea of a so-called 'organ mafia' does not exist in Kerala's deceased donor program, which is fully controlled by KSOTTO under the Government of Kerala. Allocation is strictly done through the waiting list without intermediaries." He said.
Dr. Noble Gracious added that pledges in Kerala had been below the national average until now and said, "Since September 12, we have seen 100-120 pledges every day. People in the 32-45 age group are stepping forward, which is encouraging because they make mature, informed decisions about organ donation."
So far, the total organ pledges are recorded as 7,866, which includes hearts (6,829), intestines (6,403), and kidneys (2,044).
While Kerala is now showing signs of momentum, its overall registration figures remain modest compared to other states. As per national statistics, Maharashtra leads with 1,04,925 registrations, followed by Rajasthan (90,652), Karnataka (47,554), Gujarat (40,372), and Madhya Pradesh (23,994). Kerala, with 7,866 pledges, still lags behind larger states but shows promising growth in recent days.
As of 2025, Telangana records 15,821 organ pledges, Uttar Pradesh has 13,514 pledges, and Tamil Nadu has 13,362. Several other states such as Andhra Pradesh (9,533), Odisha (8,176) and Punjab (7,120) records decent number of organ transplant pledges.
The momentum marks a turning point for Kerala, where organ pledge registrations are now steadily climbing, offering hope to thousands of patients waiting for life-saving transplants. (ANI)