India, Aug. 13 -- For nearly two decades, private facilities have been overshadowing Maharashtra's government and BMC-run hospitals in cadaver organ donations in a gap so wide that it is costing lives, warn experts.

Since 2009, just 80 deceased donors have given 62 livers, 19 hearts, two lungs, one small bowel, and one skin donation at state-run hospitals, according to data from the Regional cum State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO-SOTTO).

Only a few government institutions, including Mumbai's JJ, KEM, Sion, and Nair hospitals, Pune's Sassoon Hospital, and AIIMS Nagpur, have retrieved organs over this period.

While awareness has been increasing among donors, a hesitation remains among them. However, organ donors would ...