On November 27, 2025, Ms. Pallavi Kumar, Executive Director, MOHAN Foundation – NCR, visited MAX Hospital, Dehradun to meet with key stakeholders and assess the hospital’s readiness for initiating a deceased organ donation program.

Invited by Dr. Emil Richards, Medical Superintendent, Ms. Kumar delivered a detailed presentation highlighting the essential components of a successful hospital-based organ donation program. These included effective inter-departmental coordination, formation of a hospital steering committee, establishment of robust SOPs, early identification and certification of brain death, and regular activities to promote organ donation within the hospital and the wider community.

The session was attended by senior stakeholders and faculty members of MAX Hospital, Dehradun, including:

Dr. Sandeep Singh Tanwar, Senior Vice President and Unit Head – Operations

Dr. Emil Richards, Medical Superintendent

Dr. Shantanu Belwal, Head of Intensive Care

Dr. A.M. Thakur, Head of Neurosurgery

Dr. Shamsher Dwivedee, Head of Neurology

Dr. Puneet Arora, Head of Transplant Nephrology

Dr. Mayank Nautiyal, Head of Liver Transplant

Dr. Shalini Bernard, Nursing Superintendent

Ms. Sadaf Khan, Deputy Manager – Medical Administration

Dr. Karnika, Transplant Coordinator

Dr. Gul Zehra, Transplant Coordinator

Dr. Prateek, Transplant Coordinator

Following the presentation, the participants raised several important queries, including:

• What are the legal implications after the declaration of brain death?

• Should brain death be declared solely by hospital personnel, or can external authorities participate?

• The legal framework for brain-death declaration appears vague and is primarily outlined in the THOA Act. How can this be clarified?

• How can the misconception be addressed that hospitals increase treatment costs to push families toward organ donation?

• Mandatory postmortem examinations in medico-legal cases often discourage families from considering organ donation. What steps can be taken to address this?

• What is the role of the police in MLC cases involving organ donation?

• Is it mandatory to include an external doctor on the brain-death declaration committee?

• What is the procedure for registering a patient on the waiting list for organ transplantation?

Ms. Kumar responded to all queries and encouraged the stakeholders to begin strengthening their internal systems. She recommended forming an internal hospital organ donation committee, initiating routine brain-death declaration practices, formally approaching families for consent, documenting all required procedures, and creating a supportive environment for establishing the deceased organ donation program.

In the conclusion, Dr. Sandeep Tanwar expressed gratitude to Ms. Kumar and all participants for their valuable contributions. The meeting concluded on a positive and encouraging note, reflecting a strong commitment toward enhancing deceased organ donation services at MAX Hospital, Dehradun.