Bhubaneswar, August 3: AIIMS Bhubaneswar has been conferred the prestigious "Emerging Government Institution in Organ Transplantation" award during the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) celebrations held in New Delhi on Monday. The event was organised by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

The award was presented by MoS (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) Anupriya Patel, in the presence of Ministry Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava; Dr. Loveneesh G. Krishna, Director General of Health Services (DGHS); Vijay Nehra, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; and Dr. Anil Kumar, Director, NOTTO.

On behalf of AIIMS, the honour was received by Dr. Anita Saxena, President; Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director & CEO; Dr. Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy, Medical Superintendent; and Dr. Bramhadatta Pattnaik, Associate Professor & Head, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology.

AIIMS Bhubaneswar was recognised for its remarkable progress in organ transplantation, particularly the significant increase in transplant procedures, from 16 transplants in 2024 to 63 transplants in 2025, reflecting the institute's rapid growth and unwavering commitment to providing advanced transplant care. Notably, AIIMS Bhubaneswar is the only AIIMS in the country to receive this prestigious recognition, underscoring its leadership in the field of organ transplantation.

Expressing his gratitude on the occasion, Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director & CEO, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said "This national recognition reflects the unwavering commitment, multidisciplinary teamwork, and relentless dedication of our transplant teams, intensive care specialists, nursing staff, transplant coordinators, and support personnel."

We are equally grateful to the donor families whose selfless decisions have saved countless lives and inspired society. AIIMS Bhubaneswar remains committed to expanding transplant services and strengthening organ donation awareness across Eastern India, said Biswas.

Since the inception of its transplant programme, AIIMS Bhubaneswar has successfully performed 78 kidney transplants, including 61 living donor kidney transplants and 17 deceased donor kidney transplants. The institute has also facilitated six successful organ donations, besides completing four living donor liver transplants and one deceased donor liver transplant.

In a relatively short span, the institute has achieved significant milestones in organ retrieval, transplantation, and post-transplant care, while consistently promoting organ donation through sustained public awareness campaigns and community outreach initiatives.