On February 12, 2014 a CME on End of Life Care issues & Organ Donation was organized in the auditorium of Medanta Medicity, Gurgaon. The purpose was to generate momentum for the program and to involve the senior doctors of various departments in a discussion on the way forward for deceased organ donation and transplantation at Medanta the Medicity.
The event was coordinated by Dr Vijay Vohra, Chairman Anaesthesia, Liver Transplant, Medanta Medicity.

Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman & MD welcomed the speakers and the audience engaging them in discussing the possibilities and lacunae of Indian transplant system. He also emphasized that everyone at Medanta could play a far greater role in identifying opportunities to make the Deceased organ donation program successful. Dr Trehan also stressed on the importance of encouraging religious leaders to help reach the message to the masses and change mindsets.

Ms Pallavi Kumar, Executive Director, MOHAN Foundation (Delhi-NCR) introduced the chief guest, Dr. Mainak Majumdar, Medical Donation Specialist & Intensivist, Peninsula Health, Frankston. Dr Mainik spoke on the determination of futility of therapy, screening of potential donors, integration of organ and tissue donation requesting into end of life care. He also shared the current attitudes to end of life care issues and organ and tissue donation in Australia. The session was moderated by Ms Pallavi Kumar and Dr Nalini Kaul, Medical Director, Medanta Medicity.

Post Dr. Majumdar’s session, Dr A.V. Soin Chairman, Liver Transplant & Regenerative Medicine also discussed the demographic and social structure of North India and how much of a role does public awareness play in the broader scheme of things.

This was followed by a panel discussion. The panelists were Dr .K. Deiveegan (HOD Retd,Rajiv Gandhi Govt. General Hospital, Chennai), Dr Yatin Mehta ( Chairman, Institute of Anesthesiology & Cardiac Anesthesia), Dr A. N. Jha (Chairman, Neurosurgery), Dr A.V. Soin (Chairman, Liver Transplant & Regenerative Medicine), Dr Tariq Ali ,Associate Director, Critical Care), Dr Monica Thomas (Associate Director, Neurology) and Dr Harsh Sapra (Senior Consultant, Neuro Anesthesia)

Dr. K. Deiveegan drove the panel discussion forward by discussing his personal experiences at RGGH and motivated the medical social workers and transplant coordinators of the Medanta fraternity. He suggested proactively approaching the Haryana government and the need of widely circulating the success stories across all major papers and publications.
Dr K. Deiveegan also addressed question from the audience along with Dr Harsh discussing the limitations of the THOA Act and possibilities of having in-house panel of transplantation coordinators and medical social workers.

Dr Vijay Vohra concluded the session by thanking the guests and assuring continuous efforts from the team at Medanta Medicity in taking this deceased organ donation program forward. More than 80 people attended the CME.