AIIMS Bhubaneswar’s first liver transplant is a healthcare, ethics, federalism, and welfare case study rolled into one, and can be used across UPSC and OPSC GS papers, essays, and interviews.
Core facts to remember
- AIIMS Bhubaneswar performed its first-ever liver transplant on 20 December 2025 on a 37-year-old man from Pipili, Puri district, suffering from advanced liver disease.
- His 30-year-old younger brother voluntarily donated about 40% of his liver out of love and affection, with no financial consideration; the surgery lasted nearly 14 hours with a team of over 50 medical professionals.
- A dedicated liver transplant OPD (operational since February 2025) and a 10-bedded transplant ICU (operational since November 2025) were created to support a full-fledged public-sector transplant programme.
Why this matters for UPSC
- Health infrastructure & welfare state
- Shows how AIIMS-type institutions expand tertiary care in Eastern India, reducing dependency on metros and expensive private hospitals, aligning with “universal health coverage” and “healthcare for all”.
- Can be linked to Ayushman Bharat, health insurance coverage for high-cost procedures like transplants, and regional imbalance in health facilities (GS II, GS III, Essay).
- Organ donation ecosystem and ethics
- Illustrates living-related organ transplantation, voluntary donation, and prohibition of commercial dealings as per the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act.
- NOTTO’s post calling it a “historic first” in expanding transplant care in Eastern India helps you connect this case to the national organ allocation and registry framework.
- Governance, institutions and federalism
- AIIMS Bhubaneswar is a central institute functioning in a state context, useful for questions on Centre–State cooperation in health, concurrent list, and centrally sponsored health projects.
- Demonstrates capacity-building: multi-year planning, specialised human resources, critical care infrastructure, and inter-institutional support (e.g., guidance from established liver centres).
Why this matters for OPSC
- Odisha-specific health development
- Marks a major jump in Odisha’s own public health capacity: patients earlier had to go to Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad or private hospitals for liver transplant; now a government facility inside the state offers it.
- Fits directly into OPSC GS and Essay themes like regional disparities in healthcare within Odisha, role of Bhubaneswar as a medical hub, and improving access for coastal and inland districts.
- Social dimensions and human angle
- The younger brother donating liver to save the elder brother gives a powerful narrative for ethics, essay and Odia society-based questions on family support systems, altruism, and social capital in health crises.
- Media reports of both donor and recipient recovering well and being discharged safely reinforce public trust in government hospitals—good for interview discussion on restoring confidence in public services.
How to use this in answers
- In GS II / GS III (UPSC & OPSC):
- Use as an example when asked about strengthening public health infrastructure, organ donation policies, or outcomes of investing in tertiary care in backward regions.
- In Essay/Ethics:
- Use the story to illustrate themes like “healthcare as social justice”, “role of institutions in saving lives”, and “ethical organ donation and family solidarity”.
- In Interview:
- If asked about recent Odisha or national health milestones, mention this case, then naturally connect it to organ donation awareness, Ayushman Bharat, and the need for more transplant centres in the public sector.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar's first liver transplant offers high-yield material for prelims factual recall and mains analytical depth across health policy, governance, and ethics.
Prelims Questions (MCQs)
Question 1:
AIIMS Bhubaneswar recently performed its first liver transplant. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. The recipient was a 37-year-old man from Pipili, Puri district.
2. The donor was the recipient's younger brother aged 30 years.
3. The surgery was conducted on 20 December 2025.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: All statements are factually accurate. The 14-hour living-donor surgery involved a 37-year-old patient from Pipili receiving 40% of his 30-year-old brother's liver on 20 December 2025, marking a milestone for Odisha's public healthcare.
Question 2:
With reference to the recent first liver transplant at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, consider the following:
1. A dedicated liver transplant OPD was operationalised in February 2025.
2. The surgery was supported by a 10-bedded transplant ICU operational since November 2025.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Explanation: AIIMS Bhubaneswar prepared for the transplant programme with a liver transplant OPD in February 2025 and a 10-bedded ICU in November 2025, enabling the successful procedure without relying on private facilities.
Mains Questions
Question 1 (GS III - Health Infrastructure):
"Expansion of tertiary care facilities like liver transplantation in public institutions such as AIIMS Bhubaneswar represents a critical step towards equitable healthcare in India. Discuss the challenges and strategies involved in scaling such specialised services across states." (15 marks)
Model Answer Outline (Key Points):
- Introduction: Reference the AIIMS Bhubaneswar milestone as evidence of public sector capacity-building under Ayushman Bharat and NOTTO
- Challenges: Shortage of trained transplant surgeons, high infrastructure costs, low organ donation rates (brain death awareness), regional disparities (e.g., Eastern India lagging)
- Strategies: Green corridors, presumed consent laws, skill training via NEP health modules, PPP models, integration with PM-JAY for coverage.
- Way forward: Federal incentives for states, digital organ registries, public awareness campaigns. Conclude with SDG 3 linkage. (Word limit: 250; Score potential: 10-12/15)
Question 2 (GS II/IV - Governance & Ethics):
"The success of organ transplantation programmes in India hinges on ethical living donations and robust regulatory frameworks. Examine this statement in light of recent developments like the first liver transplant at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and suggest measures to enhance public trust in such procedures." (10 marks)
Model Answer Outline (Key Points):
- Introduction: Highlight the voluntary sibling donation case as an ethical exemplar under THOA 1994 (amended 2011).
- Examination: Role of authorisation committees, prohibition of commercial trade, NOTTO's coordination; challenges like coercion fears and low pledges.
- Measures: Awareness via social media/celebrity endorsements, fast-track approvals for relatives, transparent reporting, incentives like priority for donors' families.
- Conclusion: Builds on family altruism seen in this case to achieve self-sufficiency in transplants. (Word limit: 150; Score potential: 7-8/10)