India, April 10 -- Maharashtra will roll out the 'Hub-and-Spoke' model, linking key hospitals to expand organ donation and transplant services, with six regional hubs planned to cut waiting lists and improve access, health minister Prakash Abitkar said on Thursday.

According to health officials, 'hubs' are public hospitals equipped to conduct organ transplants. 'Spokes' are public hospitals, equipped with facilities like an ICU and operating theatre, that can declare brain-dead patients and harvest organs. Under the proposed model, spokes will link to hubs in their respective divisions.

The state currently has only one transplant centre in Amravati and another facility will come up in Nashik. The proposed model will expand transplant fa...