ROTARIAN LAL GOEL PRESENTS HIS VISION FOR A MOBILE ORGAN PERFUSION & RETRIEVAL CENTRE BEFORE ZTCC MUMBAI
Mumbai, 31st October 2026: Rotarian Lal Goel, Founder and Charter President of the Rotary Club of Organ Donation International (RCODI) and Chairman of Organ Donation India Foundation and GYAN, was invited by the Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre, Mumbai (ZTCC-Mumbai), to present his vision for establishing a Mobile Organ Perfusion and Retrieval Centre.
The presentation was made during the meetings of the ZTCC Executive Committee (EC) and Governing Council (GC), held on 31st October 2026 at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, Mumbai.
The special invitation to participate as a guest speaker was extended by Dr S. K. Mathur, President, and Dr Bharat Shah, General Secretary, ZTCC Mumbai.
A VISION TO SAVE MORE LIVES THROUGH BETTER ORGAN UTILISATION
During his presentation, Rotarian Lal Goel highlighted two major challenges facing organ transplantation in India: the loss of potentially transplantable organs due to inadequate retrieval infrastructure and the need to ensure better assessment and preservation of organs before transplantation.
He emphasised that advanced organ perfusion technology can help assess, preserve and, in appropriate cases, improve the condition of donor organs before transplantation. This can potentially enhance organ utilisation and contribute to better transplant outcomes and long-term graft survival.
Rotarian Lal Goel also highlighted that a significant proportion of potentially usable deceased-donor organs go unutilised in India, partly due to the absence of adequate organ retrieval infrastructure in many regions. A Mobile Organ Retrieval Centre could address this critical gap by reaching hospitals and locations where retrieval facilities are unavailable, enabling timely organ retrieval and potentially saving thousands of lives.
ROTARY’S OFFER TO MAKE THE PROJECT A REALITY
Rotarian Lal Goel informed the committee that the Rotary Club of Organ Donation International is willing to take the initiative to facilitate the procurement of a Mobile Organ Perfusion/Retrieval Centre for ZTCC Mumbai, subject to the necessary technical, regulatory and administrative approvals.
He described the proposed centre as a potentially game-changing initiative that could strengthen Mumbai’s organ retrieval infrastructure and significantly improve the availability and utilisation of donated organs across the jurisdiction of ZTCC Mumbai.
ADVOCACY FOR GREATER FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS
During the presentation, Rotarian Lal Goel also shared the outcomes of his advocacy efforts for improving financial support for economically weaker transplant patients.
He highlighted the increase in the financial assistance ceiling under the AB-PMJAY scheme from ₹5 lakh to ₹15 lakh for eligible beneficiaries. He further referred to the enhancement of financial assistance in Maharashtra from ₹5 lakh to ₹22 lakh under the combined AB-PMJAY and MJPJAY framework.
He emphasised that sustained advocacy and coordinated efforts by civil society organisations can play an important role in strengthening government support for patients who cannot afford expensive transplant procedures.
Rotarian Lal Goel also expressed confidence that NOTTO would facilitate the necessary permission for the proposed Mobile Organ Retrieval Centre at the earliest, enabling the project to move forward and serve the larger cause of saving lives.
AN OFFER OF COLLABORATION AND FREE AWARENESS SERVICES
Dr S. K. Mathur introduced Rotarian Lal Goel to the members and expressed his appreciation for his participation and willingness to collaborate on this important initiative.
During the discussion, some members raised queries and reservations regarding the proposed project. Rotarian Lal Goel responded to their concerns and clarified the concept, reiterating his commitment to making the initiative successful.
He also assured the committee that RCODI and its associated organisations would provide their services for creating awareness about organ donation completely free of charge.
A STEP TOWARDS TRANSFORMING ORGAN DONATION IN INDIA
Expressing his gratitude to ZTCC Mumbai for the invitation, Rotarian Lal Goel thanked the leadership and members for giving him the opportunity to present this important vision.
He expressed his hope that the proposed Mobile Organ Perfusion and Retrieval Centre would become a reality and serve as a model for other cities and states.
Rotarian Lal Goel concluded by emphasising that India needs stronger infrastructure, advanced technology, proactive public participation and institutional collaboration to bridge the gap between organ donation and transplantation.
“Every donated organ must get a fair opportunity to save a life. Our responsibility does not end with creating awareness about organ donation; we must also build the infrastructure required to ensure that no precious donated organ goes to waste.”
The proposed Mobile Organ Perfusion and Retrieval Centre represents an important step towards this mission.
