Colombia performed 965 organ transplants between January and September this year, according to the National Donation and Transplant Information System of the National Institute of Health (INS). Of those procedures, 800 involved organs from deceased donors and 165 involved organs from living donors. The figures reflect the work of the national transplant network and underscore the importance of organ donation in saving lives.
However, the number of procedures remains insufficient to meet demand. As of September 30, 4,117 people were on the waiting list for an organ transplant. The gap between the number of transplants performed and patients’ needs highlights one of the main challenges facing Colombia’s healthcare system: increasing organ availability and ensuring that more people can access this treatment.
Colombia nears 1,000 organ transplants in first nine months of 2026
Most patients awaiting organ transplants in Colombia need a kidney. As of the end of September, 3,823 people were on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, according to INS data. This represents the vast majority of patients awaiting transplants and underscores the significant role kidney disease plays in driving demand for these procedures.
The waiting list also included 176 people in need of a liver transplant, 45 awaiting a lung transplant and 37 requiring a heart transplant. Each of these procedures involves specific medical requirements and depends on the availability of an organ compatible with the recipient’s clinical condition.
For patients with advanced kidney disease, a transplant can reduce or eliminate the need for dialysis and improve quality of life. For those with severe liver, heart or lung failure, the procedure can offer a crucial opportunity to extend their lives.
However, the number of transplants performed alone does not determine how long each patient will have to wait. Organ allocation depends on medical criteria, donor-recipient compatibility, clinical urgency and the characteristics of the available organ.
Deceased donors provide most transplanted organs
Of the 965 transplants performed during the first nine months of 2026, 800 involved organs from deceased donors, while 165 involved living donors. Living donors can donate certain organs or tissues under specific medical circumstances, provided established safety and compatibility requirements are met.
The INS also reported 285 actual deceased organ donors whose deaths had been confirmed under brain death protocols between January and September. During the same period, regional coordination teams recorded 853 tissue donors through protocols associated with circulatory death.
These figures refer to different categories and should not be confused with the number of transplants performed. Not everyone identified as a potential donor can provide organs suitable for transplantation, and a single donation can benefit multiple recipients. Organ viability depends on medical assessments and coordination among hospitals and specialized teams.
#Comunicado | Colombia registró 965 trasplantes de órganos entre enero y septiembre de 2026.
Al 30 de septiembre, 4.117 personas se encontraban en lista de espera para recibir un trasplante en Colombia.
#DonarEsTrascender #DonaciónYTrasplantes #INSColombia https://t.co/s2QN4MUI1f
— Instituto Nacional de Salud
(@INSColombia) October 14, 2026
Public trust: a decisive factor
The donation and transplantation process requires close coordination among hospital units, health care professionals, and the institutions responsible for organ allocation. Timely identification of potential donors and activation of the relevant protocols are essential to making the most of donation opportunities.
The National Institute of Health (INS) also underscores the importance of strengthening Colombia’s donation culture. Learning about organ donation, expressing the intention to donate, and discussing that decision with family members can help ensure that personal wishes are known when the time comes to make decisions.
Transparency and adherence to medical criteria are equally essential to maintaining public trust. Organs must be allocated according to the principles of fairness, legality, and traceability, with decisions based on each patient’s clinical needs and compatibility requirements.
The results for the first nine months of 2026 demonstrate the Colombian network’s capacity to perform hundreds of transplants and offer new opportunities to people with serious illnesses.
Nevertheless, the more than 4,000 people still on the waiting list at the end of September underscore the need to increase the number of procedures and, above all, organ donations. Promoting a culture of donation, improving hospital coordination, and strengthening public trust will be key to enabling more patients to receive the organs they need.