On August 16, 2023, Dr. Amol Mahaldar, Member of the Health and Wellness Committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) 2023–25, along with Goa Institute of Management (GIM) students, invited Mr. Gabriel Pereira, an organ donation ambassador from the MOHAN Foundation for, “Give Goa 2023,” to the Vision Hospital Mapusa conference hall.

 

The Give Goa Health programme is a 20-week fellowship beginning in August and lasting for the entire year. Students collaborate on projects backed by the GCCI’s health division. This year, three groups of five students are working on initiatives under the auspices of the GCCI and in collaboration with other organization’s such as IMA, Sangath, and Manipal Hospital Goa. The GIM students will complete internship projects on topics such as organ donation myths, tension and anxiety in the workplace, and screening tests for non-communicable diseases: pitfalls and opportunities.

 

Mr. Gabriel discussed MOHAN Foundation, what it does, how he became the brand ambassador for MOHAN Foundation, and his personal experience with organ donation. It was owing to a family member's kidney transplant. He informed the students that, should they require assistance from the Foundation or himself, he would be eager to assist.

 

Dr Preeti Varghese, Deputy Director of SOTTO-Goa, led the interactive sessions on organ donation misconceptions, during which she provided a comprehensive overview of organ donation. Dr. Abhijit Nadkarni discussed tension and anxiety in the workplace, while Dr. Amit Dias discussed screening test utilization: pitfalls and opportunities.

 

Mr. Gabriel distributed FAQ flyers to all the students. The group acknowledged Mr. Pereira and requested his assistance with future project awareness initiatives.