FORT – Navjeevan-MFJCF Training Programme on Transplant Coordination Successfully held in Jaipur

Navjeevan – MFJCF (MOHAN Foundation-Jaipur Citizen Forum) Team in partnership with FORT (Fortis Organ Retrieval & Transplant) held a one week  Training on Transplant Coordination at the Fortis Escorts Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan from 18^th to 22^nd  September, 2017 under the aegis of NOTTO (National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation). This is the third Annual training programme held by Navjeevan-MFJCF, in 2015 and 2016 also the NGO has trained personnel from all over India to facilitate the Organ Donation programme.

56 participants from all over Rajasthan and India participated in the training this year, with Medical College Kota and Jodhpur also sending their staff to ensure that the cause of Organ Donation spreads across Rajasthan.

The training was inaugurated on September 18, by Mr. Kalicharan Sarraf, Honourable Health Minister of Rajasthan and Dr. U. S. Agrawal, Principal, SMS Hospital & Medical College. Dr. Avnish Seth,  Director, FORT  and Mr. Prateem Tamboli, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Jaipur, also graced the occasion.

It was an honour to have Shankar Meena (father of deceased donor Mr. Naveen Meena) as part of the inauguration. Minister Mr. Kalicharan Sarraf congratulated the Navjeevan-MFJCF team for its work for the cause in Rajasthan, the regular training and awareness drives held by the NGO throughout the year. He also explained the idea of the unique Organ Transplant Institute coming up in Rajasthan.

The faculty from MOHAN Foundation –Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram, Country Director and Dr. Sumana Navin, Course Director took lectures on a variety of subjects like Concepts of Organ Donation, Legal Framework according to THOA, Overview of Status of Deceased Donation in India, State based organizations and NGOs working in organ donation and transplantation, Counseling techniques & Donor stories, Qualities & Role of Transplant Coordinator in Deceased Donation,  and Ethical issues in Organ Donation and Transplantation. A number of films on various topics were also shown to reinforce concepts.

In addition to the faculty from MOHAN Foundation, the faculty also included Dr. Sanjana Bhojwani who spoke on the Rajasthan Network for Organ Sharing (RNOS) and Deceased Donation in Rajasthan; Dr. Jitendra Hingonia (SMS) explained the Concept of Brain Death and maintenance of potential brain dead patient; Dr. Pratik Tripathi (Fortis) gave a lecture on basics of Kidney Disease: while Dr. Randhir Rao from SMS gave an interesting lecture on Living Related Organ Transplant; Dr. Raghav Johari explained the Basics of Heart Failure and Transplant; Mrs. Lalitha discussed the qualities and role of transplant coordinators in deceased donation with the help of a role play activity among the participants.

Dr. Ankur Gupta, NIMS Hospital gave an excellent talk on Liver disease and Liver Transplant. There was a wonderful e-module video presentation on Hand transplant of Dr. Subramania Iyer, with special inputs from Dr. Sumana; Dr. Swati Tomar of Eye Bank Society of Rajasthan explained corneal donation and transplant. It was an interactive session wherein the participants discussed the myths and other related questions; Dr. Sumana updated the participants on the History of Organ donation and transplantation. Dr. Sandeep Gupta, Fortis hospital gave information on Kidney Transplant while  Dr. Rakesh Jain, SMS informed the delegates about Skin Donation & skin banking; The session on  Public awareness was taken by Mridul Bhasin, Muskaan Foundation.

Dr. Priyanka Sharma, SMS Hospital explained role and importance of documentation in Medico-legal cases which was of great benefit to the delegates. Mr. Ravi Kamra, Navjeevan-MFJCF Member gave a lively presentation on the ethos of Organ Donation;  SMS Transplant Coordinator Ram Prasad Meena gave the talk on Role of Recipient Transplant Coordinator.Dr. Anita Hada Sangwan, Member, MFJCF spoke on Role of Media and Social Media in promoting organ donation. The session had important takeaways given her vast experience in the media arena. All the participants thoroughly enjoyed the poster making group activity and came forward with wonderful heart touching creative ideas to promote the cause of Organ Donation. Dr. Ajeet Bana, EHCC gave the participants insights into heart transplantation and heart valve donation (homografts). Dr. Manish Sharma, Nodal Officer, RNOS, spoke to the participants on the procedure of brain stem death certification.  Dr. Dheeraj Saxena, SMS Medical college gave his inputs on body donation programme in Govt. Hospital while Mrs. Hemlata Shah, Member, MFJCF talked about donors in a moving lecture on Donor Stories. Faculty certificates and mementos were presented to all Guest Faculty.

Dr. Avnish Seth, Fortis Memorial Research Institute gave a talk on  Setting up a Deceased Donation programme in a hospital that summarised the various points raised in the 5-day training. The delegates were fortunate to hear Prof. Dr. Vimal Bhandari, Director, NOTTO, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India talk about National Organ  & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). Dr. Suresh K. Badhan, Consultant Coordination, NOTTO, elaborated on the role of NOTTO and the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP), its objectives, scope and plans for rolling out the programme across the country. There was also a panel discussion with the doctors and participants.

There was enthusiastic participation from the delegates in the role plays, quiz and panel discussion. Some of them even recited poems and couplets that they had written inspired by the concept of organ donation!

The valedictory session was graced by Mr. Rohit Saboo from NBC, Dr. Vimal Bhandari, Dr. D.S Meena (Medical Superintendent, SMS Hospital), Mr. Pushpendra, ACP, Jaipur, Dr. Randhir Rao from SMS and Dr. Avnish Seth.

Dr. Sushil Mehta Group Chairman “Pratham Pahal medical Consultant,  also presented the Best Transplant Coordinator Lt. Shri Moti Lal Mehta National Award -2017  to Mr. Ram Prasad Meena  (Transplant Coordinator – SMS Hospital, Department of Urology) and a Cheque of Rs. 11000.00, after receiving the award Mr. Ram Prasad Meena committed to donate the received amount for the welfare of Kidney transplant patients.

The MFJCF Team thanked Dr. Sumana Navin for the wonderful workshop and the delegates also came forward with small mementoes to show their gratitude to their teacher. There was a feeling of pride and jubilation, commitment and gratitude in the hall full of delegates as names were announced and the distinguished dignitaries gave away the certificates. Navjeevan-MFJCF Convener Mrs. Bhavna Jagwani congratulated the participants on the successful completion of the training.  She also thanked Mr. Rohit Saboo for his support to the cause. She conveyed the gratitude of the team and the people of Rajasthan to Dr. D S Meena for propelling the programme forward in Sawai Mansingh Hospital, Jaipur.

The session and training ended with a commitment and an oath to work selflessly for the cause of Organ Donation.

This was the 49^th transplant coordinators’ training programme conducted by MOHAN Foundation (with Navjeevan-MFJCF in Jaipur) and the 15^th under the aegis of NOTTO. This training programme was supported by the Tata Trusts.