MOHAN Foundation Press Release

"Gift of Life"

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Organ Donation Awareness Program At Jubilee Hall, Public Gardens, Hyderabad at 6pm On 27th June 2011

Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India along with Department of Health, Medical & Family Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh and MOHAN Foundation organised “Gift Life” an awareness program on organ donation at Jubilee Hall, Public Gardens, on 27th June 2011 at 6 pm.

Lack of awareness about organ donation is one of the foremost causes for the fewer organ donations occurring in India. This meeting is the beginning of a series of initiatives of Government of India to promote organ donation nationwide. It was a public forum to promote the cause of organ donation for general public to know more about organ donation. As MOHAN Foundation has been promoting the cause of organ donation for the past 9 years in Andhra Pradesh, it has partnered with MOHAN Foundation in this initiative in Andhra Pradesh.

Dr. D.L. Ravindra Reddy, Honourable Minister for Health, Medical & Family Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh was the Chief Guest for the event. Dr. Ravindra Reddy assured all support to the government promoted “Jeevandaan” scheme, and said that he will recommend that Rs. 1 Crore be allocated from Rajiv Arogyasree scheme to Jeevandaan very soon. He mentioned that his government will ensure that the organ donation program will receive as much importance as other schemes of government. He also pledged to donate his organs, and flashed his organ donor card, after signing on it.

Internationally renowned transplant surgeon from USA and the President Elect of The Transplantation Society (a global leadership body in transplantation, science, practice, education and ethics), Dr. Francis Delmonico, was the Guest of Honour for the event. He spoke about international practices in organ donation and transplantation and that he would like to help in all possible ways to put India on the map of ethical transplantation.

Dr. R.T. Ravi Raju, Director of Medical Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh, mentioned that the there are superstitions in donating organs and that we have work on them. He requested the Honourable Health Minister to release the funds for Jeevandaan scheme as soon as possible. Dr. Sudhir Gupta, Medical Officer, (NCD), Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India, spoke on the importance of augmenting multi organ donations in the country.

Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram, Country Director of MOHAN Foundation congratulated various agencies like Government of India, Government of Andhra Pradesh and MOHAN Foundation coming together to promote the great cause. She commended the media for their ongoing support in promoting the cause of organ donation. She urged a need for concerted and coordinated effort by all agencies.

There was a dance recital on the theme of “Organ Donation” by the students of Smt. Rajeswari Sainath which was received extremely well.