On December 2, 2022, MOHAN Foundation was invited to conduct an awareness session on organ donation for the students pursuing Bachelors of Science in Medical Lab Tech, Optometry & Ophthalmic Tech, Radiation Imaging Tech, Operation Theatre Tech and Dialysis Tech at the Institute of Public Health & Hygiene (IPHH), New Delhi. Ms. Pallavi Kumar, Executive Director, MOHAN Foundation NCR and Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi, Program Manager, MOHAN Foundation NCR, were the resource person and Ms. Simran Anand, Program Officer, MOHAN Foundation accompanied them.

Mr. Aditya Tripathi, Assistant Professor, Environmental Science, IPHH, New Delhi, took the initiative to contact Ms. Pallavi via email in order to set up a workshop for the students of the institution.

IPHH is a Paramedical and Allied Health Education Institute, established in 1976 by late Dr. Shyam Sunder Joshi. It offers almost the allied health under and post graduate diplomas, certificates and degrees.  

The programme began with an introduction of the MOHAN Foundation, followed by the welcome address by Mr. Aditya. Ms. Pallavi Kumar talked about the basics of organ donation and transplantation. She talked about the following: 

• Organ donation and its need in the society
• When and how does organ donation take place
• Organs that can be donated during life and after death
• Transplant waiting list in India
• Transplantation Act
• Brain death
• Difference between brain death and coma
• Role of MOHAN Foundation
• Myths and facts about organ donation
• Eye donation

The term brain death was explained with the help of a short informative film. Ms. Pallavi explained to the participants the various steps involved in brain death declaration and clarified the concept of legal death. She then emphasised the role of families and the importance of family consent in organ donation. Participants also shared their views about the cause. Dr. Muneet addressed the queries on brain death asked by participants

Over all the session was interactive where participants enthusiastically contributed to the discussion and asked many queries. To name a few:

• Do doctors keep patients on ventilators to add more money to the bill?
• What is the difference between coma and brain death?
• Brain death versus circulatory death: what is the difference?

Close to 150 students attended the session.