On August 02, 2024, the MOHAN Foundation (MF) NCR office conducted an organ donation awareness session at Maitrayana Charity Foundation, New Delhi. The session, attended by Maitrayana’s staff, was led by Ms. Sanya Santosh, Programme Officer at MF NCR, and accompanied by Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi, Programme Manager at MF NCR.
Maitrayana Charity Foundation leverages the power of sports to create ecosystems that empower girls and women to fulfil their potential. The organisation envisions a gender-equal society where girls and women can exercise their rights. By using sports as a tool, the organisation aims to create supportive environments that enable girls and women to develop their skills, capabilities, and confidence.
Ms. Jaya Tiwari, Senior Manager of Programmes at Maitrayana Charity Foundation requested Ms. Santosh to begin the session. Ms. Santosh began by inviting the participants to share their knowledge about organ donation. She then provided detailed information on the current status of organ donation in India, covering the following topics:
• What organ donation is and why it is important
• Who can be an organ donor
• Explanation of live and deceased donors
• Organ donation during life and after death
• Brain death
• Differences between coma and brain death
• Eye donation and steps required to preserve corneas after death
• Whole body donation
• Transplantation of Human Organs & Tissues Act 1994
• How individuals can contribute to this noble cause
• Myths and facts about organ donation
• Role of the MOHAN Foundation and its helpline number
Ms. Santosh dispelled misunderstandings perpetuated by the media regarding organ donation while educating the audience. She also provided an example of a corneal donation case she coordinated on the day of the awareness event, emphasizing the need to review the patient's medical history to ensure there are no contraindications to the corneal donation, ensuring no corneas are wasted.
Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi spoke extensively on the factors contributing to the rise in organ trafficking in India. She related a story of a young man declared brain dead whose organs could not be donated because his wife was not physically present to give written consent. This incident underscored the importance of consent in organ donation.
Dr. Sahi answered several participant queries, including:
• Does each organ have a window period?
• Is blood group compatibility important for organ allocation?
• What documentation is needed to verify relationships in living donor organ donation, and how is it handled when documentation is faked?
Close to 27 participants attended the session.
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