On November 5, 2012 an awareness talk on organ donation was conducted by MOHAN Foundation for coordinators of “Chetanalaya,” a social wing of the Catholic Church, New Delhi. Chetanalaya was initiated in the year 1970 in order to render humanitarian services to the people of resettlement colonies of Delhi and backward villages of Haryana. 

 

The session was organised by Fr. Saviri Raj, Director, Chetanalaya and Ms Grace David, a kidney recipient who has taken upon herself to help the foundation create awareness on deceased organ donation. 

 

The concepts, ethics and myths related to organ donation and transplantation were explained in Hindi with the help of a powerpoint presentation. The session was a vibrant one with great participation and sharing by the audience. A very interesting discussion ensued on patient waiting list and organ sharing especially amongst people of low socio-economic status and the government’s role in making this program work in general hospitals so that the neediest gets the organ. 

 

 A young coordinator who was an intern with MOHAN foundation prior to joining the social wing of Chetanalaya shared his experience with the audience about the organ sharing and waiting list system in the hospitals of Chennai. He further added that the system is fair and most needy and sickest gets the priority.

 

About 60 coordinators attended the talk and around 80 donor cards were given to Fr Saviri to be distributed amongst staff and coordinators.