On April 01, 2023, MOHAN Foundation in association with Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) conducted a one-day workshop on “Strengthening Organ Donation & Transplant Processes in Manipur” at the Conference Hall, JNIMS, Imphal.
The main objectives of the workshop were to give participants the necessary knowledge and skills to address the various aspects of brain-stem death certification, maintenance and deceased organ donation, and to provide a roadmap for hospitals planning to start deceased organ donation and transplantation programme.
Dr Sunil Shroff (Managing Trustee, MOHAN Foundation), Ms. Pallavi Kumar (Executive Director- Delhi NCR, MOHAN Foundation) & Prof. Deepak Gupta (Professor- Dept. of Neurosurgery, AIIMS, New Delhi) were the main speakers of the workshop. The programme was coordinated by Prof. Kangjam Sholay Meitei (Professor & Transplant Surgeon- Dept. of Urology, JNIMS), Ms. Laishram Monica Devi (Programme Officer- MOHAN Foundation, Imphal) & Ms. Thoidingjam Udayini Khuman (Transplant Coordinator, MOHAN Foundation, Imphal).
The workshop was attended by the Hon’ble Health Minister of Manipur, directors, medical superintendents, administrators, heads of departments, neurosurgeons, neurologists, anesthesiologists, and nurses from different departments of government and private hospitals in the region.
The first half of the programme began with a welcome address by Ms. Udayini, which was followed by presentations from Dr Shroff, Ms. Pallavi Kumar, and Dr Deepak Gupta. The inaugural programme included Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh (Hon’ble Health Minister, Govt. of Manipur) as Chief Guest and Prof. L. Deben Singh (Director, JNIMS) as President. The guests of honour were respectively Prof. H. Priyosakhi Devi (Director, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences), Dr Sunil Shroff (Managing Trustee, MOHAN Foundation), and Dr Palin Khundongbam (Chairman/Managing Director, Shija Hospital & Research Institute Pvt. Ltd., SHRI).
As the program's Chief Guest, Dr Ranjan expressed his serious commitment to conducting research on the causes of rising kidney disease in the region. Reminiscing the first successful kidney transplantation that took place in JNIMS, he said that the Chief Minister was elated at the successful renal transplantation in a state government institute at a minimal cost with the commitment and generosity of the team at JNIMS. The minister also mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 99th episode of “Mann Ki Baat” had stressed the importance of organ transplantation. He also affirmed that he would walk the extra mile and extend all possible help, within the ambit of the law, to make kidney transplantation successful in the state of Manipur.
Prof. Deben began his Presidential address by stating that this was his second tenure as Director of JNIMS. Having said that, doing living donor renal transplants in a government-run hospital like JNIMS is a boon to society. It has been possible with the support of the able leadership of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri N. Biren Singh. The CMHT and PMJAY health cards play a pivotal role in helping the low-income families of the state. He also said that with the advancement of medical technology, he can foresee a state of the art cardiology department capable of doing all interventional surgeries in the near future.
A manual book on "Brain Death and Deceased Organ Donation" was also released at the inaugural programme. Prof. Sholay updated the audience on the living renal transplantation performed at JNIMS, which was followed by the renal transplant recipients’ testimonies at JNIMS and SHRI, including a patient’s sharing of waiting for a deceased organ donor.
The workshop covered various topics such as the evolution of deceased organ donation in India and getting started in a new region; the legal framework for deceased organ donation in India; brain stem death identification and certification; brain death maintenance; breaking the bad news and making the ask for organ donation; the deceased donation pathway in hospitals; and the start of corneal transplantation at JNIMS.
The main sessions were followed by two panel discussions. Prof. Gupta moderated the first panel discussion on "Caveats in Brain Death Identification and Certification in a Hospital," where the panellists were Prof. S. Thoibahenba Singh (HOD- Dept. of Anaesthesiology, JNIMS), Prof. Kh. Vyas (HOD- Dept. of Neurosurgery, JNIMS), Prof. Th. Suraj (Professor- Dept. of Neurology, RIMS), Dr L. Chaoba Singh (Associate Professor- Dept. of Anaesthesiology, RIMS) & Dr M. Amit kumar (Consultant Neurosurgery, JNIMS).
The second panel discussion on "Corneal Donation and Transplantation in Manipur" was moderated by Ms. Pallavi. The panellists were Dr Vikram Singh Khoisnam (State Programme Officer, NPCBVI-Manipur), Dr Ningombam Reagan Singh (Ophthalmologist, Manipur Health Services), Dr Th. Robi Singh (Senior Asst. Professor, Dept. of Ophthalmology, JNIMS), and Dr R.K. Victor Singh (Assistant Professor, Dept. of Ophthalmology, JNIMS).
The workshop concluded successfully with a vote of thanks from Ms. Monica.
Close to 140 participants attended the workshop.
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