Mangaluru: All’s Well that Ends Well! ‘Jeevanvileena’-an Organ Donation Campaign by AJ Hospital Concludes

• “There’s Always a Part of You that Wants to Help People. Give it the Chance When the Time Comes”

Mangaluru: All’s Well that Ends Well!-That’s right. Quoting Shakespeare’s words, “But with the word the time will bring on summer, When briers shall have leaves as well as thorns, All’s well that ends well; still the fine’s the crown; Whatever the course, the end is the renown “-all I can say is that AJ Shetty Hospital and Research Centre, under the able guidance of Dr Prashanth Marla, the Medical Director at AJ Hospital and Research Centre, in collaboration with Mohan Foundation, Chennai (a non-profit organization that coordinates organ donation and transplantation activities in India), N.S.S. Units of all colleges under Mangalore University, which had launched “Jeevanvileena”-a Organ Donation campaign on Sunday the 20th September 2015, concluded on Saturday the 10th October 2015.

The core objective of the campaign was to bring awareness among the general public on organ donation, its process, legal aspects, pledging, issuing donor card and also the road safety. The campaign which lasted for 20 days comprised of mime show, street plays, interaction by NSS students, Interview of doctors, panel discussion and article publication- the schedule was as follows : On 26/9/2015, Saturday-11.30 am to 12.00 pm, Street Play on “Organ Donation” by N S S students from respective colleges under Mangalore University (120 colleges); 27/9/2015 and 4 Oct.at 5.30 pm at City Centre Mall-Public shows by N S S students and theme oriented dance performance by experts; On 7/10/2015, Wednesday at 9.30 am – an awareness rally from City Corporation Lalbagh via Bejaito A J Hospital; and much more. The team of management, doctors, staff and students of AJ Shetty Hospital and Research Centre, NSS members and other volunteers had done a marvelous job by organizing/taking part in various programmes, including seminars, Street plays/mime, flash-mob etc in making this campaign a grand success.

The valedictory ceremony of “Jeevanvileena” was held on Saturday, 10 October 2015 at AJ Institute of Medical Sciences Auditorium, which was graced by a large audience who had supported the campaign for the last twenty days in different ways. The programme began with invoking God’s blessings through a prayer song rendered by the students of the AJ Hospital, followed by welcome address by Dr Prashanth Marla, where he said, ” There is a need for 25,000 kidney transplants every year but on the contrary 3,500 transplants are being done per year in India. There is substantial number of people who land up with liver failure too, who require transplantation. Each cadaveric donor can give fresh lease of life to about 50 people, but in India only Liver, Kidneys, Heart valve, Heart and Corneal donations are common”.

He further said, ” This campaign is just a beginning, we have to go a long way to bring awareness among the public on organ donation. We need to maintain a separate registry of brain dead persons, which would enable the needy patients to get organs if their family members agree. We can do it- and I am really overwhelmed with this introductory campaign which had received great support and encouragement. Thank you, all”.

Following is the Reminiscences of Organ Donation Campaign “Jeevanvileena” through images

The programme was inaugurated by lighting the traditional lamp by guest of honour-Health Minister UT Khadar, along with other dignitaries on the dais namely- AB Ibrahim-Deputy Commissioner, K Amarnath shetty- Former State Minister, Smt Sumana Navin-Course Director of Mohan foundation, Gurukiran-Music Director, AJ Shetty-Chairman, AJ Institutions, Prashanth Shetty-Vice President-AJ Institutions, and Dr Prashanth Marla- Medical Director. An overview of “Jeevanvileena” was delivered by Dr Sunil P Shenoy-Consultant Uroligist at AJ Hospital. Dr Shenoy thanked Dr Prashanth Marla immensely for his idea and initiation in launching this organ donation campaign, and he said that Dr Marla has been a source of inspiration for all, and that he has taken the initiative to bring awareness of organ donation not only in Mangaluru but also across DK. Glimpses of “Jeevanvileena” was presented through audio visual presentation.

In his inaugural address, Minister UT Khadar said, “This project launched by AJ Hospital is a very useful initiative taken by Dr Marla and AJ Hospital. The government is looking at a proposal to constitute committees in hospitals that could officially declare brain dead persons. At present only a few hospitals have such committees, and also that the authorities don’t have the data of brain dead persons in that area. This will cripple the efforts to seek more cadaver transplants done for the needy. The state government is working on a plan to form a committee in each hospital for declaring a patient brain dead and also maintain a separate record of such persons. Very soon the state’s health department would call a meeting of specialists and representatives of NGOs to discuss steps that the government needed to take for simplifying the process of cadaver transplant”.

Shivani, a first PUC student of Sharada College- who received a kidney transplant from her mother also spoke and thanked all the doctors and staff of AJ Hospital for all their support. She said that she was also grateful to her mother who came forward in donating one of her kidney’s to her. DC Ibrahim and Gurukiran also spoke and urged the need for organ donors which is very much needed. Dr Suman Navin of Mohan foundation said that organ transplants should become a tradition and culture. AJ Shetty who also spoke said, “I am really overwhelmed with this campaign and the support that it has received so far. Everyone needs to join hands in helping the needy who are desperately looking for a organ. I am confident that campaigns like this will encourage citizens to come forward to donate their organs in the time of need. I hope that through this campaign we will be able to get more organ donors in the nearest future”

Minister Khadar also released the donor/pledge card during the occasion. The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Raghavendra Nayak-Consultant Nephrologist, AJ Hospital and Research Centre.

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