Advancing deceased organ donation through awareness and communication: A global public health perspective from a tertiary care hospital in India

Background: Tertiary care hospitals in low- and middle-income countries play a critical role in addressing the growing global burden of end-stage organ failure. The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, one of North India’s largest referral centres, has advanced transplantation capacity; however, deceased organ donation rates remain limited. This gap reflects broader global public health challenges related to awareness, communication, and social acceptance rather than medical capability alone.
Problem Statement: Despite national legal and organizational frameworks for organ donation, limited awareness among healthcare providers and the general public, inadequate family-centered communication at the time of brain death, and persistent sociocultural misconceptions constrain informed decision-making. These challenges mirror global barriers to deceased organ donation observed across diverse health systems.
Methods: An awareness-centered situational assessment was undertaken to examine knowledge, attitudes, and communication practices related to deceased organ donation within a tertiary care hospital setting. The assessment focused on healthcare worker sensitization, family engagement strategies, institutional awareness mechanisms, and alignment with ethical principles and global guidance from the World Health Organization on organ donation and transplantation.
Results: Findings revealed that insufficient routine sensitization of clinical teams, lack of standardized awareness protocols, and limited behavior change communication adversely affected family consent rates. Misinformation, fear, and low visibility of ethical safeguards emerged as key determinants influencing donation decisions, despite the presence of clinical and legal infrastructure.
Conclusion: From a global public health perspective, strengthening deceased organ donation requires sustained awareness-driven strategies embedded within health systems. Integrating structured sensitization of healthcare providers, culturally sensitive family counseling, community-level awareness initiatives, and ethical communication frameworks can improve donor consent. Such approaches are essential for reducing inequities in access to transplantation and strengthening global organ donation ecosystems.

Dr. Vipin Koushal is the Medical Superintendent and Professor & Head, Department of Hospital Administration at PGIMER, Chandigarh, with over three decades of leadership experience in public healthcare systems. He has played a pivotal role in hospital operations, crisis management, and institutional strengthening, including leading PGIMER’s COVID response and operationalizing major healthcare facilities. As Nodal Officer, Regional Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO–North), he has been instrumental in advancing deceased organ donation, earning multiple national awards for PGIMER. Dr. Koushal holds a Master’s degree in Hospital Administration from AIIMS New Delhi.