Context:
Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Rules, 2025, under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, to promote equitable access to organ and tissue transplantation services.
More on the News
- This amendment was introduced to strengthen the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) and streamline the functioning of corneal transplantation centres in the country.
- The cornea is the transparent part of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil and allows light to enter the eye.
- The amendment removes the mandatory requirement of Clinical Specular Microscopes in corneal transplantation centres, a condition that was creating infrastructure barriers.
- The Clinical Specular Microscope is a specialised device used to assess the density and health of corneal endothelial cells before transplantation.
- The Ministry stated that this change is based on expert recommendations and stakeholder consultations, ensuring that the reform addresses existing challenges in implementation.
- This move also aligns with the government’s broader goal of improving accessibility to eye donation and corneal transplantation services at the national level.
- The removal of this requirement will ease operational and infrastructural challenges for smaller eye centres, particularly those in rural and semi-urban regions.
Significance of the Amendment
- This amendment aims to simplify regulatory norms and ensure that smaller medical institutions are not excluded due to a lack of expensive equipment.
- This change will enable more hospitals and eye banks to participate in cornea transplantation, thereby reducing the care gap in corneal blindness treatment.
- This decision supports the ‘One Nation, One Health Vision’ by ensuring that access to transplant services is not limited by geography or resource constraints.
- This amendment is particularly significant as India has over 1.2 million people suffering from corneal blindness, with about 25,000–30,000 new cases added annually.