Bhubaneswar: AIIMS Bhubaneswar has earned national recognition for its growing contribution to organ transplantation after being honoured with the “Emerging Government Institution in Organ Transplantation” award at the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day celebrations in New Delhi.
The award, presented by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, acknowledges the institute’s rapid expansion of organ transplant services and its efforts to promote organ donation.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel presented the award in the presence of Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, Director General of Health Services Dr. Loveneesh G. Krishna, Additional Secretary Vijay Nehra and NOTTO Director Dr. Anil Kumar.
The award was received by AIIMS Bhubaneswar President Dr. Anita Saxena, Executive Director and CEO Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, Medical Superintendent Dr. Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy and Head of the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology Dr. Bramhadatta Pattnaik.
According to the institute, the recognition comes after a significant rise in transplant activity, with the number of organ transplant procedures increasing from 16 in 2024 to 63 in 2025. AIIMS Bhubaneswar is the only AIIMS in the country to receive the honour this year.
Expressing gratitude, Dr. Biswas said the achievement reflects the commitment of the institute’s transplant teams, intensive care specialists, nursing staff, transplant coordinators and other support personnel. He also credited donor families for their selfless decisions, saying their contribution has saved many lives and strengthened confidence in organ donation.
He added that the institute would continue to expand its transplant programme while intensifying awareness campaigns to encourage organ donation across eastern India.
Since launching its transplant programme, AIIMS Bhubaneswar has performed 78 kidney transplants, including 61 from living donors and 17 from deceased donors. It has also facilitated six successful organ donations, carried out four living donor liver transplants and one deceased donor liver transplant.
The institute said it has made steady progress in organ retrieval, transplantation and post-transplant care, while continuing public awareness and community outreach initiatives to promote organ donation.
