Western Command, organised an ‘Organ Donation Awareness’ programme at Chandimandir in coordination with PGIMER, Chandigarh today. The programme was Live streamed to all the formations under Western Command including Army Hospital (R&R) New Delhi and Base Hospital, Delhi Cantonment. The initiative was undertaken as part of an endeavour to spread awareness and importance of Organ Donation through talks, motivational videos and by acknowledging the selfless deeds of men and women donors, who provided a new lease of life to others.
The event was attended by Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, AVSM, GOC-in-C Western Command and Mrs Shuchi Katiyar, Regional President, Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) Western Command. Dr Anil Kumar, Director, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), New Delhi in a video message appreciated the effort of Western Command in promoting the noble cause of organ donation and also mentioned that Command Hospital, Western Command is doing yeoman service to mankind by reviving it’s organ harvest programme. During the event, Brigadier AK Sharma, Head of Transplant Programme, Command Hospital delivered a talk on creating awareness, myths and realities associated with organ donation and the way ahead, while Dr Parul Gupta, Transplant coordinator, PGIMER spoke on motivating the masses on organ donation, creating green corridors and process of donation as well as highlighting civil military liaison.
The talks were followed by an ‘Organ Donation Pledge’ by all present. The audience were exhorted to pledge for Organ donation and the procedure of pledging was visually displayed.
Pamphlets promoting Organ donation was also distributed during the ceremony. Naik Hoshiyar Singh who donated the Kidney, Liver and Cornea of his late father Shri Kabal Singh, Sepoy Ramesh Kumar who donated the Liver and Cornea of his late father, Shri Murari Lal and Havaldar Gurwinder Singh who donated the Kidney, Liver and Cornea of his deceased 15 year old daughter, Miss Jasmeet Kaur, were felicitated by the GOC-in-C Western Command and Regional President, AWWA Western Command. The event was also attended by Dr Vipin Kaushal, MS, PGIMER and Regional Head, State Organ Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO). In his address to the gathering, the Army Commander stressed upon the need for the noble act of organ donation and organ pledging. He conveyed his heartfelt appreciation to the families of the donors present and also encouraged everybody to spread awareness on organ donation.
The Army has been at the forefront of organ donation and pledging to be organ donors. Organ donation initiative of the Indian Army was started by Armed Forces Organ Retrieval and Transplantation Authority (AORTA) in 2007. Command Hospital, Western Command holds the singular distinction of being the only Service hospital after Army Hospital (R&R) to have regularly carried out multi organ retrievals from deceased donors and having them successfully transplanted into recipients with end stage disease, providing them a new lease of life. High quality of successfully harvested organs has ensured near hundred percent survivals of recipients. Since the inception of Organ Retrieval Centre at Command Hospital, Chandimandir in 2014, the hospital has successfully retrieved 28 Kidneys, 20 Livers and 28 Corneas for recipient hospitals. Over a period of one year, four successful donations culminating into transplant harvest surgeries have saved eleven precious lives.
The hospital has ensured seamless coordination with Indian Air Force for timely transportation of harvested organs. The hospital has successfully endeavoured to create green corridors for organ transport by land and air and has broken the myth and dogmas regarding deceased organ donation by transcending new frontiers and high level of motivation and participation in pledging organ donation.
The event was attended by all ranks and their families including school children of Army Public School and Kendriya Vidyalaya, Chandimandir Military Station. Western Command is committed to stay at the forefront of this noble initiative of organ donation, in the true traditions of the Indian Army’s service to the nation.