The one month Transplant Coordinators’ Training programme was conducted by MOHAN Foundation in June 2013. In addition, the six months training programme was also initiated. A total of 20 trainees from different hospitals across the nation and social work students attended the training. The training programme is supported by Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust.

The faculty comprised professionals from the fields of medicine, human resource, and social work. Doctors and senior transplant coordinators from government and private hospitals addressed the trainees. The training programme covered the medical, legal and ethical aspects of donation and transplantation, cadaver transplant programme in different states and the organ sharing network. The trainees were also trained in grief counselling. They did role plays on counselling the relatives of a brain dead patient about organ donation. Various case studies and experiences were shared by senior transplant coordinators so as to strengthen the confidence of the budding transplant coordinators.

There were interactive sessions on communication skills and conflict management. The trainees visited TACT academy, TANKER Foundation, Apollo Hospitals’ Blood Bank, and Eye Bank of Sankara Nethralaya to understand the practical applications of the training. Each of the trainees was asked to talk to the general public and gather their impression of the awareness level on organ donation.

At the culmination of the training programme, Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram, Country Director, MOHAN Foundation, presented certificates to the participants. 

I. Augustin Joe, Trainee, MOHAN Foundation