On March 20, 2025, the Division of Organ Transplant at AIIMS Rishikesh, in collaboration with MOHAN Foundation, conducted an organ donation awareness session in the Pulmonary Medicine IPD and CCU. This session was the twelfth in a series aimed at sensitizing nursing officers at AIIMS Rishikesh about organ donation.
The session was led by Mr. Sanchit Arora, Project Leader at MOHAN Foundation stationed at AIIMS Rishikesh, accompanied by Mr. Deshraj Solanki and Mr. Vrishabh Panchal, Transplant Coordinators at AIIMS Rishikesh. It was attended by the nursing staff from the Department of Pulmonary Medicine.
The session commenced with an introduction to MOHAN Foundation, highlighting its mission and objectives. Mr. Sanchit Arora provided an in-depth explanation of organ donation and its significance, covering the following key topics:
• The importance of organ donation and eligibility to become a donor.
• The distinction between living and deceased donors.
• Organ donation during life and after death.
• The concept of brain death and its difference from a coma.
• Practices in declaring brain death.
• Eye and skin donation, including the steps for preserving corneas post-death.
• An overview of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994.
• Living kidney transplantation facilities at AIIMS Rishikesh.
• Steps individuals can take to contribute to the cause.
• Common myths and facts about organ donation.
Mr. Arora emphasized the urgent need for organ donation in India, encouraging participants to initiate discussions about the topic with their families and peers. He also recommended watching the film Aye Zindagi on Zee5 for additional insights.
Mr. Panchal provided an explanation of the hospital's brain death committee and donor optimization protocols, sharing a recent organ donation case at AIIMS Rishikesh to offer practical examples of the process.
The session was interactive, with participants raising several questions, such as:
• How can a patient in need of organs apply to the AIIMS Rishikesh waiting list?
• Is there a waiting list for living donations?
• What are the roles of NOTTO?
• What are the punishments if someone is caught engaging in the commercial dealing of organs?
• Is there any time limit for organ donation?
• How should a transplant coordinator be informed about potential brain-dead patients?
• What role do nursing officers play in organ donation cases?
Feedback from a participant
“The session inspired me to speak with my own family and friends about organ donation and encourage them to support this cause.”
Approximately 12 nursing officers attended the session and acknowledged its importance in enhancing their understanding and ability to contribute to the cause of organ donation.
-ACT,-2011.gif){kind=spacer}
