Dr. Ravi Wankhede of MOHAN Foundation – Nagpur Centre was invited to deliver a talk on organ donation and transplantation at Adani Power Plant at Tiroda near Gondia in Maharashtra on 20^th May 2019. Adani Power is the largest importer of coal, supplying over 50 percent of the country’s coal for generating electricity in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

Shri. Chaitanya Prasad Sahoo, Station Head took a keen interest in organizing the talk. Dr. Ravi Lawankar, Deputy General Manager- Environment, Health & Safety initiated the program and extended the invitation to Dr. Ravi Wankhede. 

Dr. Wankhede using a PowerPoint Presentation spoke about the various organs and tissues that could be donated by people while living and after death. He explained the types of death i.e. circulatory and brain death.

He also explained how the donation and transplantation activities are governed by the Transplantation of Human Organ Act & Rules and thus have a legal backing from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The objectives of the Act are to regulate organ and tissue donation, their storage and transplantation to the needy from local requirement to well regulated need all over the country. He mentioned about the huge need of life saving organs and how the need could be met if people are aware of the subject. To give a perspective he had the donation rates in India compared to those in developed countries, where organ donation has become routine. This situation could be attributed unawareness, religious misconceptions and superstitious beliefs.

Dr. Wankhede explained in detail about brain death, an irreversible and permanent situation, wherein the patient’s organs are functional because of the ventilator support. Such a person can help save lives of 8 people by donating two kidneys, lungs, heart, liver, pancreas, intestines and several tissues such as two eyes, skin, bones, heart valves, etc.

At the end of his talk Dr. Wankhede urged the participants to pledge their organs by filling the consent form through the website of MOHAN Foundation. He said it is advisable to discuss the subject at home, so that the family members are aware of their decisions.

There were several questions asked at the end of the session, which were addressed by Dr. Wankhede. About 100 people were present in the auditorium. When asked how many people would like to pledge, almost everybody in the audience was willing. Brochures and pamphlets were given to Dr. Ravi Lawankar to be shared with those willing to pledge.

Dr. Ravi Lawankar proposed a vote of thanks and presented a memento to Dr. Ravi Wankhede as well.