MOHAN Foundation under the aegis of National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India and Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN) conducted a one week Transplant Coordinators’ Training Programme in Coimbatore from 7^th to 11^th January 2019. There were 22 participants from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Delhi, Goa, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. This was the 59^th training programme conducted by MOHAN Foundation and the 25^th in partnership with NOTTO. The training programme was supported by the Tata Trusts.

Present at the inaugural function were Dr. B. Ashokan, Dean, Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital as guest of honour and Dr. Ganesh Babu, Deputy Superintendent, Coimbatore Medical College as special guest. The MOHAN Foundation team was represented by Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram, Country Director, Ms. Sujatha Suriyamoorthi, Manager-Information Systems and Ms Ann Alex, Programme Associate.

Sessions on various topics such as Basic concepts of organ donation, the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, deceased donation programme in the country, approaching a family for organ donation with case studies, importance of spreading awareness to the public, medico-legal cases, whole body donation, history of transplantation, ethics of organ donation and transplantation were taken by the MOHAN Foundation faculty which included Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram, Dr. Sumana Navin, Course Director, Ms. Sujatha Suriyamoorthi and Ms. Ann Alex. Group activities and a quiz on organ donation and transplantation were moderated by the team. Educative videos and awareness films were also screened during the training.

Dr. Rajesh Shankar Iyer, Consultant Neurologist & Epileptologist, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research spoke on ‘Identifying and certifying brain stem death’. Dr.T.Murali, Consultant Intensivist, Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital elaborated on ‘Maintenance of a potential brain dead organ donor’. Ms. Veena Raju, Transplant Coordinator, G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital explained the stages of grief counselling through an interactive session. Dr. Kandasamy.S, Nephrologist, Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital spoke about Kidney diseases and dialysis. Mr. R. Prabakaran, Transplant Coordinator, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital put forth a discussion on difficult case scenarios to the participants. Dr. P.Chandrasekar, Director, Heart Failure and Transplantation, G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital explained Heart diseases and transplantation.

The pre-operative coordination, post-operative care and the contraindications involved in a kidney transplant were briefed by Dr. Devdas Madhavan, Urologist & Transplant Surgeon, Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital. Dr. Raja Shanmuga Krishnan, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Ganga Medical Centre & Hospitals introduced the topic of Skin donation and transplantation to the participants. He also arranged for the participants to visit the Ganga Hospital Skin Bank that afforded them the unique opportunity of observing the functioning of the bank. Dr. L.Venkatakrishnan, Department of GI Sciences, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research explained the Basics of Liver diseases and Liver failure. Ms. Devi, Transplant Coordinator, Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital listed out the procedures, legal formalities and role of a transplant coordinator involved in the process of living donor organ transplantation. Mr. Balakrishnan, Transplant Coordinator, Royal Care Hospital moderated the role play with the help of three unique case scenarios. Dr. Paari Vijayaragavan, HPB and Solid Organ Transplant Surgeon, Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital spoke on Liver Transplantation. In a practical and interesting session Dr. Anand Bharathan, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital explained the General Principles of organ retrieval.

Mr. C.B.Chandrasekaran spoke on the Role of a Transplant Coordinator in a Deceased Donation Programme. Dr. S. Padmanaban, Prof. and Head of Department, Coimbatore Medical College spoke on corneal donation and transplantation. Ms. Rathi.R, Clinical Nurse Specialist, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research spoke on the roles and responsibilities of a Recipient Coordinator in Living & Deceased Donor Liver Transplant programme. Dr. Joseph John, Consultant, HPB and Liver Transplantation, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research spoke on initiating a deceased organ donation programme in a hospital with the help of examples and demonstrations. Dr. R. Kanthimathy, Member Secretary, TRANSTAN, spoke on the work being done by TRANSTAN. She stressed the importance of being transparent and doing work ethically. She also briefed the participants about the coordination process involved between TRANSTAN and the hospital transplant coordinators before, during and after the donation and the importance of data management. Dr. R. Kanthimathy praised the transplant coordinators for their tremendous work and encouraged them to continue to work for the cause.

The training programme concluded with the valedictory function held on 11^th January 2019. Present at the Valedictory function were Dr. R. Kanthimathy, Member Secretary, TRANSTAN and Dr. Sumana Navin, Course Director, MOHAN Foundation and Mr. Arun Gokuldas, Past President, Rotary Club, Coimbatore. The participants were awarded with course completion certificates during the valedictory function.