Rtn PHF Dr Rohan S. Monis empowers a huge pool of Nurses at Kanachur, Mangaluru on ORGAN DONATION.
NV Paulose, Chairman, Global TV +91 98441 82044
Mangaluru, 9th of May : The nurses week celebrations at Kanachur Institutions themed ‘NURSARA 2026’ ensured a powerful session on “Organ Donation – Turning Tragedy into Triumph”; progressively agreeing with the theme of the year – “Our Nurses, Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.”
The mindful insights on ‘Organ Donation was held at Kanachur Conference Drome, Kanachur Health Campus, Mangaluru on the 9th of May, 2026. This historic session witnessed more than 700 nurses across Bharat; spearheaded by Dr Molly Saldanha – Principal, Kanachur College of Nursing Sciences; a unit of Kanachur Islamic Education Trust ® under the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru.
Rtn PHF Dr Rohan S. Monis – Chief Administrative Officer, Kanachur Hospital & Research Centre and Medical Director & Charter Member, Rotary Club of Organ Donation International was invited as an eminent speaker for this profoundly evocative session on ‘Organ Donation – Turning Tragedy into Triumph’. It is podiums like these where one can choose to sensitize, educate, promote understanding and coach learned communities on this soul touching humane movement that the society needs to grow on.
Dr Monis began his session with a quote from John Bunyan and the audience recited encore – “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” Detailing on the the present donor crisis situation in our country – Dr Monis displayed a statistical difference between Bharat and Spain – which was a stark comparative reality; a wake up call for us. Bharat, with a population of over 1.4 billion people weren’t able to create a difference in the lives in our surroundings : because Bharat had a donor count of <1 donor / million population while Spain was at >50 donors / million population. Deep diving into the session – Rtn Rohan deliberated on the types of Donations and the Organs / Tissues that can be harvested in accordance with THOTA act:
● Living Donor : can donate one of his Kidneys, a part of his Liver, a part of Lungs, Intestine and also Pancreas in India.
● Deceased Donor :
○ Circulatory Death : Tissues (Cornea, Tendons, Heart Valves, Veins, Ligaments, Bones, Skin) can be donated.
○ Brain Dead : Organs (Lung, Heart, Liver, Kidneys, Pancreas & Intestines) and Tissues (Cornea, Tendons, Heart Valves, Veins, Ligaments, Bones, Skin) can be donated.
To give the Nurses a real time update from the statistical archives from NOTTO, MOHFW – GOI, Rtn Dr Monis shared that :
- The number of transplants in the country has seen a 4X increase from less than 5 thousand in 2013 to nearly 20 thousand in 2025
- Around 18% of transplants are currently being performed with organs donated from deceased donors. Again an amazing leap..
- Close to 5 lakh Indian citizen pledged to donate their organs and tissues after death through a Aadhaar based verification system, since 17 September 2023
- Bharat leads the world in hands transplants.
AS NURSES (bedside clinical experts in healthcare); ‘ORGAN DONATION’ IS A PRIME ADVOCACY THEY SHOULD TAKE UP AND TO AWARENESS IN THEIR ENVIRONMENTS.
Dr Monis beautifully annotated on WHY our Nursing Angels can be Organ Donation Health Advocates. As Nurses their spheres of influence are expressed over Patient, Family, Community and The Medical Ecosystem. With an understanding of the need for prevention of Organ Failure and the need to help the debilitated ones; our Nurses can be trendsetters too.
Primarily,
- They are interfaces in the community and become dependable information banks.
- They have Long Term Professional Bonding with their patients.
- During recovery; proximity with the family develops & once their expertise is trusted – there’s no turning back; thus defining credibility without fear.
A Medical Update highlight was expressed on Xenotransplantation where Animal Organs are used in Clinical and Compassionate-use cases. The Pig’s organs have a close genetic make up to our human organs and a series of transplants using the pig’s Kidney, Heart and Liver have proved possible with scientific advances and research is still going on from 2024 in the USA.
Rtn Dr Rohan requested this cohort of Nurses to take this a movement forward by :
- Partnering With Key Institutions: Ensuring a clear progression from unawareness, to understanding, to positive attitude, to action (registering), and finally to advocacy.
- Building Knowledge and Dispelling Myths / Superstitions: Outreach programs provide accurate information and help undo wrong thought processes.
- Reaching People Where They Are: Community-based programs bring the conversation to places people already trust i.e. schools, religious institutions, community centers and local events.
- Leveraging Personal Stories: Programs displaying donor families and transplant recipients put a human face on these humane life saving issues.
- Engaging Underrepresented Communities: Certain ethnic and racial groups are disproportionately represented on transplant waiting lists, yet have historically lower donor registration rates due to cultural concerns.
- Normalizing the Conversation: Organ donation is closely tied to discussions about death and dying, which many cultures find uncomfortable. Regular outreach helps normalize these conversations, making it easier for people to talk about their wishes with family members. This matters because family consent is often a critical factor in whether donation actually proceeds, even when someone is a registered donor.
- Creating a Multiplier Effect : When community members are educated and engaged, they become informal ambassadors.
Dr Monis encouraged the Physio Experts to take the NOTTO pledge (using the QR code displayed on the presentation screen – https://notto.abdm.gov.in/) and to be a miracle in life. This session encouraged the Physio Experts to think in another dimension and ensure life happens even after we leave for our heavenly abode.
Let’s not take Death Lying Down – Donates Life – Be an Organ Donor
The recall of the final points was simply great and a few nurses took rhe pledge too after the session..!
