New Delhi, March 27 (IANS): India has not been able to meet organs demand for patients despite having good medical infrastructure, programmes, and legal framework, Health Secretary B.P. Sharma said on Friday.

Inaugurating a day-long conference for sensitising officials of the state government and other stakeholders on National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP), Sharma said there was a huge gap between demand and supply of organs.

"We have good medical infrastructure, legal framework, programmes and professionals, still we have not been able to meet the demand of organs for patients. We need to understand the challenges and work on them in a positive manner," Sharma said.

The conference was organised to mark the National Organ Donation day.

Sharma also released the operational guidelines of the NOTP on the occasion.

There was an immediate need to understand that organ donation is a pious thing and one should promote it, he said.

"Awareness among people is needed to encourage them to donate organs. This requires involvement of the civil society, leaders and other stakeholders," he said.

Patients should be provided affordable and accessible organ transplant, he said.

Jagdish Prasad, director general of health services said lack of awareness was the cause behind less number of donors.

"The Indian Medical Association and other stakeholders should be involved to aware people to donate organs," Prasad said.