Air Force Central Medical Establishment and Armed Forces Organ Retrieval & Transplantation Authority (AORTA), in an effort to create awareness among Air Force personnel and their families organized an event on December 12, 2016 at the Air Force auditorium, Subroto Park. Ms. Pallavi Kumar, Executive Director MOHAN Foundation was invited to be a panelist at the panel discussion on ' Organ Donation - Challenges & Opportunities'. The event was coordinated by Dr. Bhaskar Nandi, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Central Medical Establishment and a Liver Transplant Surgeon.
Air Marshal S B Deo, Chief of Air Staff, Western Command was the Chief Guest for the event. Other senior officials present were Air Marshal Pawan Kapoor, Director General Medical Services; Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chief of Air Staff; Air Cmde Arun Bhaskar Gupta, Air Officer Commanding Air Force Component (AOC AFC)
Air Marshal Pawan Kapoor welcomed everyone present and urged all to pledge their organs to save lives. Dr Bhaskar Nandi, in his address to the gathering, shared his experiences of starting AORTA. He clarified the concept of brain death and discussed various myths on organ donation. He added that awareness in each and every part of the country is the main key for a successful organ donation program in the country. To tackle the same, he shared that they plan to conduct awareness sessions for students in the Air Force schools.
There was sharing by a liver recipient and by a donor family member. These were very inspirational for the gathering.
This was followed by a panel discussion. The panelists included Brig. Anupam Saha (Liver Transplant Surgeon), Ms. Pallavi Kumar and Mr. Mukesh Kumar (Transplant Coordinator, ORBO). Dr Bhaskar Nandi moderated the session. The discussion centered around the following issues:
A short story on Upasana, a liver recipient who received a liver through a deceased donation in PGI- Chandigarh was an emotional appeal to the crowd to pledge their organs to save someone's life after they are gone. Air Marshal S B Deo in his address to the gathering said "organ donation is a good deed and one shouldn't think a lot in doing a good deed". He also ensured MOHAN Foundation with all the support needed to promote the cause of organ donation.
At the end of the program Air Marshal S B Deo, Air Marshall Pawan Kapoor, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Air Cmde Arun Bhaskar along with their respective spouses pledged to be an organ donor in front of the entire gathering. This encouraged many of the personnel and their family members pledged to be organ donors.
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