THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, MARCH 30, 2026

 Marking a significant step towards advancing healthcare innovation, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhubaneswar in collaboration with the National Academy of Medical Sciences organised a Dissemination Workshop-cum-Regional Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on “Organ Transplantation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare.” The day-long academic initiative brought together more than 300 doctors and experts from Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand, reinforcing the growing importance of technology-driven solutions in life-saving medical procedures.

The CME witnessed participation from leading institutions including AIIMS Patna, AIIMS Deoghar, AIIMS Kalyani, and AIIMS Bhubaneswar, along with specialists from premier organisations such as IIT Bhubaneswar, PGIMER Chandigarh, NISER Bhubaneswar, IISER Berhampur, IGIMS Patna, ROTTO and SOTTO. The gathering provided a platform for medical professionals to deliberate on emerging trends, policy frameworks, ethical considerations, and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in organ transplantation.

Addressing the inaugural session, Subhasish Panda, Additional Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, highlighted the growing role of AI in strengthening the organ transplant ecosystem. He emphasised that AI could be a way forward for organ transplant by integrating vast datasets and assisting specialists in making evidence-based decisions. According to him, artificial intelligence can significantly improve donor-recipient matching through analysis of genetic, clinical and laboratory data, while also enabling real-time tracking of organ availability and optimising transportation routes to ensure timely delivery.

He further stated that India currently ranks as the third leading country globally in organ transplantation, with nearly 20,000 transplants conducted in the past year. However, nearly 82 percent of organ donations are from living donors, with women forming the largest donor group. He observed that a large share of transplant procedures takes place in the private sector, which often restricts affordability and accessibility, underlining the need for stronger public healthcare participation and greater awareness on organ donation.

Panda noted that AI can connect the entire transplant ecosystem by identifying organ availability, mapping the fastest transport routes, and minimising delays in reaching transplant centres. Highlighting the progress of India’s healthcare sector, he stated that the vision of the Government of India, supported by coordinated efforts of states, has strengthened access to quality medical care and education. He also noted that global agencies have acknowledged India’s achievements in reducing maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate. Appreciating the growth of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, he remarked that the institute has emerged as one of the country’s leading centres of medical excellence.

Prof. (Dr.) Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director and CEO of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, emphasised the urgent need to expand the donor pool, enhance institutional preparedness, and align organ transplant programmes with national health policy priorities. He announced that AIIMS Bhubaneswar is committed to establishing a regional centre of excellence for organ transplantation and artificial intelligence, aimed at strengthening clinical capacity, research and technological integration in the region.

Dr. Digambar Behera, President of NAMS, highlighted the stark demand-supply gap in organ transplantation across India. He noted that the country requires nearly five lakh organs every year, yet only about three percent of the demand is currently met, leaving more than 82,000 patients on active waiting lists. The observations reinforced the need for increased public awareness and robust institutional mechanisms to promote organ donation.

The CME featured insights from several eminent dignitaries including Dr. Meenu Singh, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Rishikesh; Dr. Sachidananda Mohanty, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Awantipora; Dr. Arvind Sinha, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Kalyani; Dr. Yogesh Kumar Chawla, Chairman, Task Force, NAMS; Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar; Dr. Subrat Kumar Acharya, former President, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Dr. Y. K. Gupta, President, AIIMS Kalyani; Dr. Umesh Kapil, Secretary, NAMS; Dr. U. K. Satapathy, State Nodal Officer, SOTTO Odisha, while Prof. V. K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, addressed the gathering virtually.

The technical sessions covered critical areas such as ethical and legal challenges in organ transplantation, national guidelines and programme development, antimicrobial resistance and pharmaco-therapeutics, strategies to promote organ donation, and the expanding scope of artificial intelligence in healthcare delivery.

The programme concluded with a collective call for stronger collaboration among institutions, enhanced awareness on organ donation, and effective integration of artificial intelligence to improve patient outcomes and build a more efficient, transparent and accessible organ transplant ecosystem in India.