New Delhi | The Union Health Ministry has done away with the mandatory requirement of an equipment in Corneal Transplantation centres thereby easing infrastructural challenges, particularly for smaller eye centers in rural and semi urban areas.

This will enhance the overall availability and accessibility to the corneal transplantation services in the country.

In alignment with the government's vision to promote equitable access to organ and tissue transplantation services, the Health ministry has notified the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Rules, 2025.

The amended rules have been notified under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 on November 6.

This amendment which further strengthens the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP), aims to streamline the functioning of corneal transplantation centres and facilitate wider accessibility to eye donation and transplantation services across the country, the ministry said.

"The mandatory requirement of the Clinical Specular equipment in Corneal Transplantation Centres has now been removed under this amendment," oit stated.

This change has been introduced after careful consideration of expert recommendations and stakeholder consultations.

"The amendment is expected to ease infrastructural and operational challenges, particularly for smaller eye centers in rural and semi-urban areas, thereby enhancing the overall availability and accessibility to the corneal transplantation services in the country," the ministry said.

This progressive amendment will serve as a long-term measure to strengthen the country's cornea donation and transplantation ecosystem, it added.