The first ever Transplant Coordinators’ Training Programme in Bangladesh was held from 14th to 17th September 2014 in Dhaka. The programme was conducted in collaboration with the Society of Organ Transplantation (SOT) and Kidney Foundation, Bangladesh, on the invitation of Dr. Harun Ur Rashid, President, SOT. The training was part of the 2nd National convention and Scientific seminar of SOT, Bangladesh.

 

Dr. Harun Ur Rashid welcomed the MOHAN Foundation faculty comprising Dr. Sunil Shroff, Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram, Dr. Sumana Navin, and Mrs. Pallavi Kumar. Dr. Sunil Shroff gave a brief overview of MOHAN Foundation’s journey. He also spoke about the courageous decision of Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram and Mr. Raghuram to donate the organs of their 19-year-old son Swamy Narayan who passed away in a tragic road accident. To have Mrs. Raghuram in their midst both touched and inspired the audience.

 

The four-day training programme drew 81 participants from both government and private hospitals in Dhaka – doctors, nurses and social workers. The MOHAN Foundation faculty dealt with the various aspects of deceased organ donation, public education, counseling and transplant coordination. There was enthusiastic participation from the audience in the role play, case study discussion, quiz and poster activity. The films on brain stem death, certification of brain stem death, approaching families for organ donation, kidney and multi-organ retrieval that were shown were appreciated.

 

The Bangladesh faculty delivered lucid and interesting lectures on the following topics:

Prof. M. A. Salam – Human organ transplantation law in Bangladesh

Prof. S. A. Khan - Kidney transplantation (talk and film)

Prof. Shamim Ahamed – Overview of chronic kidney disease

Prof. Shamima Parvin Lasker - Islam’s perspective on organ donation and transplantation

Prof. Nurul Islam – Accelerating renal transplant programme in Bangladesh

Prof. Muhammad Rafiqul Alam – Living donation and transplantation procedure in Bangladesh

Prof. Selimur Rahaman – Liver disease and indications for liver transplantation

 

At the valedictory function, Prof. S. A. Khan and the Kidney Foundation team set the tone with an inspiring rendition of the song “We shall overcome” in Bengali and English. One of the participants, Dr. Aaliya, Clinical Psychologist from Apollo Hospitals, Dhaka, said that they were taking back with them the positive attitude and smiles of the MOHAN Foundation team! Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram said that the training programme in Bangladesh was not the end, but the beginning of the journey. She added that MOHAN Foundation would be happy to assist Kidney Foundation in its task. Prof. M.A. Salam, urologist, said that “Required request” should be incorporated in the Bangladesh law like in India. Dr. Harun Ur Rashid expressed his appreciation for the enlightening training programme put together by MOHAN Foundation. He commended the participants in taking up this endeavour with enthusiasm. He felt that Bangladesh, like India, could implement the deceased organ donation programme through dedicated doctors, nurses and social workers.