A two-day national conclave to augment organ donation through Non-Transplant Organ Retrieval Centers (NTORC) was conducted at the IIM, Bangalore on September 2 - 3, 2023. The guests at the inauguration were Dr. Rishikesha Krishnan (Director, IIMB), Dr. Sudarshan Ballal (Chairman, Manipal Hospital), Dr. Rajani M (Member Secretary, SOTTO Karnataka), Dr. Pratima Murthy (Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences), Dr. Chakko Jacob (Nephrologist, Bangalore Baptist Hospital), Dr. Sunil Shroff (Managing Trustee, MOHAN Foundation).

Dignitaries felicitated during the inaugural ceremony

Panel discussion on ‘Facilitating deceased organ donation within the hospital - Challenges encountered’

The conclave deliberated on the following:-

• ● NTORC and its legal structure
• ● NOTP’s provisions for NTORCs
• ● Ingredients of a successful deceased donation programme
• ● Counselling the grieving families and making the tough ask
• ● NTORC's perspectives on

- Licensing and documentation

- Maintaining brain dead donor & family counselling

- Challenges in facilitating deceased donations

The focal point of the conference was "Empowering NTORCs to enable donations: Setting Processes and Systems", featuring group discussions on the following:-

• ● SOP on Brainstem death - Identification & certification
• ● Requirements for setting up an NTORC
• ● License for NTORC - Emergency / Ad hoc / Routine
• ● SOP - Deceased donation in medico-legal cases & unclaimed bodies
• ● Cost sharing & reimbursement to NTORCs
• ● Identifying training needs

In concluding remarks, Dr. Shroff mentioned that a recommendation document would be prepared and submitted to the health ministry on empowering NTORCs to increase both their numbers and donations.