Health Ministry amends corneal transplantation rules, benefits smaller eye centres

New Delhi: To improve the accessibility of corneal transplantation services in the country, the Union Health Ministry has removed the mandatory equipment requirement for Corneal Transplantation centres, easing infrastructural challenges, particularly for smaller eye centres in rural and semi-urban areas.

This move will enhance the overall availability and accessibility of the corneal transplantation services in the country.

In alignment with the government's vision to promote equitable access to organ and tissue transplantation services, the Health Ministry has notified the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Rules, 2025, news agency PTI reported.

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The amended rules have been notified under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, on November 6.

This amendment, which further strengthens the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP), aims to streamline the functioning of corneal transplantation centres and facilitate wider accessibility to eye donation and transplantation services across the country, the ministry said.

"The mandatory requirement of the Clinical Specular equipment in Corneal Transplantation Centres has now been removed under this amendment," it stated, reports PTI.

This change follows careful consideration of expert recommendations and stakeholder consultations.

"The amendment is expected to ease infrastructural and operational challenges, particularly for smaller eye centres in rural and semi-urban areas, thereby enhancing the overall availability and accessibility to the corneal transplantation services in the country," the ministry said.

This progressive amendment will serve as a long-term measure to strengthen the country's cornea donation and transplantation ecosystem, it added.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Union Health Ministry has achieved three GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS titles under the nationwide ''Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan'' (SNSPA) campaign, recognising India's unparalleled commitment to preventive and women-centric healthcare.

The records achieved are:

1. Most people to register for a health care platform in one month – 3,21,49,711 (Over 3.21 Crore)

2. Most people to sign up for a breast cancer screening online in one week – 9,94,349 (Over 9.94 lakh)

3. Most people to sign up for vital signs screening online in one week (at state level) – 1,25,406 (Over 1.25 lakh)

Also Read:GMC Jammu doctors successfully perform 2 corneal transplants