On February 1, 2020, MOHAN Foundation conducted an awareness session on organ donation at Shri Shanker Lal Concert Hall, University of Delhi, North Campus, Delhi. This was an initiative of MAARG Foundation – MNNIT Allahabad Alumni Rapport and Grants Foundation. Mr. Anurag Srivastava organized the session and Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi was the resource person from MOHAN Foundation and she was accompanied by Ms. Shriya Negi.
The talk was a part of an event organized by MAARG Foundation, an NGO formed by the class of 1987 Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT), Allahabad. Alumni of MNNIT are well known as top professional working in the corporate sector, common sector as entrepreneurs and are contributing to the society in various ways through CSR activities. The alumni decided to make a group through which they would initiate small activities for the communities, later tried to form it into an NGO with the name MAARG to give direction and way for community empowerment.
The session took place at Sri Shanker Lal Concert Hall, North Campus University of Delhi which is a regular destination for both amateur and professional bands and musicians, to showcase their expertise. It is generally occupied by students of the music department of the university for their rehearsals and functions.
The event began with a lamp lighting ceremony. Mr. Anurag Srivastava invited the Guest of Honor, Prof Neera Agnimitra Head Department of Social Work, Delhi School of Social Work, University of Delhi, Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi and other MNNIT members to come on the stage and do the honors.
Organ donation session began with the showing of a motivational video promoting organ donation to the participants. This was followed by Dr. Muneet explaining the basic concepts of organ donation, the need for it in today’s time when many people are suffering from end-stage organ failure, laws and legal processes involved in organ donation, why India lags behind European countries that have higher organ donation rate and reasons for the huge gap between demand and supply of organs by means of a simple PowerPoint presentation.
While on the subject of brain death, a short movie was shown to the participants to give clarity and to elucidate the difference between coma and brain death. It was emphasized that solid organs can only be donated in case of brain death and tissues after cardiac death. Various myths around organ donation with their corresponding reality check were also discussed.
At the end of the session one of the participants from the audience had a query regarding organ allocation Dr. Muneet took up the query and told the participant that the process was streamlined and everything was done in accordance with the law. NOTTO which is a national body does the organ allocation. It was stressed thatorgans are a national resource and cannot be used for sale and that selling or buying of organs was a punishable offence according to Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 1994.
Close to 45-50 people attended the session and 30 donor cards were distributed.
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