On July 7, 2014 Max Super Specialty Hospital in association with MOHAN Foundation organized a CME on “Brain Death and Organ Donation” at Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi.

The CME started off with a welcome note from Dr Dhirja Sharma, Senior Consultant Anesthesia & Medical Advisor at Max Healthcare giving a brief synopsis of the expected proceedings and outcome of the event. She called upon Mr Sonal Pahwa,GM Operations, Max Hospital Shalimar Bagh to give the welcome address. Mr Pahwa shared with the participants that Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh was following in the footsteps of Max, Saket- a premier name in health care domain with an unparalleled standard of medical excellence. He also added that this CME was just the right start to launch their organ transplantation program.

The first speaker for the afternoon was Dr R. K.  Dua, Senior Consultant, Neuro Spinal Surgery. He spoke on brain death and how to diagnose brain death. Calling it ‘the point of no return’ he highlighted that such a person’s family should be intimated about the condition as being similar to death but where he or she is being kept alive with the help of a ventilator and their priming for organ donation should be commenced upon this diagnosis.

Dr Dhirja Sharma spoke on early identification and maintenance of a potential brain dead donor. Other prominent speakers included Dr Anant Kumar, Director, Urology & Kidney Transplant, Dr Kewal Krishan, Senior Consultant CTVS In charge of Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device Programme and Dr Rahul Grover, Nephrologist from Max Hospital, Saket. They spoke on THO Act, Kidney retrieval, heart transplant, international registry and recipient selection and preparation.

The last speaker of the day was Ms Pallavi Kumar, Executive Director, MOHAN Foundation, Delhi-NCR. She spoke about the role a Transplant Coordinator plays in the process of organ donation. She urged the hospitals to appoint at least two transplant coordinators who shall be fully supported by every means possible to ensure the smooth sailing of the entire donation process from the time the patient is declared brain dead till the point where the patient’s body is to be taken away by the family after the donation has taken place.

After Ms Pallavi’s presentation, Dr Dhirja suggested that the doctors have a panel discussion with Ms Pallavi as the Convener. The discussion mainly focused on the point at which a Transplant Coordinator is supposed to be introduced to the family of the potential donor and whether the same should be done before or after both the certifications of brain death or in between the first and the second certification. Everyone present agreed to Pallavi’s suggestion that the introduction yields the best results when carried out once the initial declaration of brain death is made as it gives the coordinator the much needed extra time with the family during the interval between the first and second declaration.

At the end of the session many doctors pledged their organs by picking up the donor cards.