On September 26, 2024, MOHAN Foundation (MF) was invited to conduct a session on organ donation as part of a five-day "Induction Course Training Program" for Traffic Police personnel at the Traffic Police Headquarters in Todapur, New Delhi. The session was led by Ms. Simran Anand, accompanied by Ms. Sanya Santosh, both Programme Officers at MF, Delhi NCR.

This was the second session held at the Traffic Police Headquarters this month. The session was attended by senior and junior subordinates of the police force.

Ms. Simran began by explaining the basic terminologies related to organ donation, including the roles of the recipient, donor, and the process of transplantation. She then used a PowerPoint presentation to cover the following topics in detail:

• The meaning and societal importance of organ donation

• The current state of organ donation in India

• The distinction between living and deceased donors

• Opportunities for organ donation from living and deceased donors.

• An explanation of brain death, its causes, and how it differs from a coma

• Eye donation and the steps to preserve corneas after death

• An overview of the Human Organ Transplantation Act of 1994, including the mandatory "required request" clause

• Contraindications that may prevent organ donation

• The role of MOHAN Foundation

• Common myths and facts about organ donation

Ms. Simran also informed participants about the two existing skin banks in Delhi NCR. One participant shared that in their village, people still believe that donating organs will cause them to be reborn without those organs in their next life. Ms. Simran clarified that this is a myth and presented facts to dispel such misconceptions.

Some participants pointed out that many organ failures today are due to rising cases of high blood pressure and diabetes. Ms. Anand highlighted that most commercial transactions related to organ donation occur in the context of living transplants.

The session was interactive, with participants engaging actively in the discussion and raising several questions, including how to coordinate with MOHAN Foundation in the event of a death at home.

Nearly 20 participants attended the session