At the Kidney Update 2016 meeting in Panjim, the Chief Minister Shri Laxmikant Parsekar of Goa expressed his keen desire to implement Deceased Donation and Transplantation Program in the state. He quoted the success of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and invited MOHAN Foundation (NGO) to sign an MoU with the state to implement this program.

The program was held on 17^th April 2016 and was jointly organized by IMA Tiswadi and Goa State. The update was organized by Dr. J. P. Tiwari and Dr. Amol Mahaldar, senior nephrologists of the state.   

A workshop for Intensive care staff on issues related to ‘Brain Death’ was held in the morning for neurologists, intensive care doctors, and other clinicians. This was chaired by Professors Dr. Madhumohan and Dr. J. P. Tiwari. The session was largely interactive. Dr. Sunil Shroff, Managing Trustee, MOHAN Foundation outlined the finer points of Brain Death Diagnosis and declaration. This was done with the purpose of sensitizing the staff about the importance of early identification and certification of brain death in hospitals. Many points were clarified on the subject.

Later in the morning, the keynote session on transplant included a talk on Deceased Donor Organ Transplantation by Dr. Sunil Shroff. The Chief Guest, Honourable Chief Minister (CM), made his entry as Dr. Shroff was making a point about Goa’s lack of participation in the Deceased Organ Transplant program despite being one of the pioneer States in passing the law regulating Human Organ Transplantation in India.  The Honourable CM listened with rapt attention while Dr. Shroff noted the challenges Goa was facing and suggested appointing a State Convenor for the program.  He also suggested pushing forward with Government orders and reforms on the lines of neighbouring states like Kerala that runs the Mrithasanjeevani program.

The Guest of honour at the inauguration, Dr. Shekhar Salkar, Chairman of Goa Medical Council urged the Government to consider a public - private partnership in the Transplant program. He brought to the notice of all present that in Tamil Nadu and Kerala more donations are happening in corporate hospitals, but with equitable distribution Government hospital patients received organs previously inaccessible to them.

The Honourable CM in his opening remarks as Chief Guest commented on the importance of the Kidney Update. He later noted the brilliant success of the Southern states in Deceased organ donation and transplantation, in particular the Kerala model. He made an announcement to invite signing an MoU with the MOHAN Foundation to streamline the setting up of a program like Mrithasanjeevani in Goa.

After this, senior Nephrologist of Goa, Dr. J. P. Tiwari was felicitated by the CM for his service to the state.  Almost 120 clinicians attended the meeting.