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Collaboration of Lady Hardinge Medical College & Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti :
A revolutionary impact & outcome in Body Donation Awareness

Dr. Sheetal Joshi (Associate Professor), Dr Minakshi Verma (Associate Professor), Dr Sohinder Kaur (HOD),
Dr Anita Tuli ( Dir. Professor) Dr Shashi Raheja (Dir. Professor)

Dr Sheetal Joshi at Third Deh Daniyon Ka Utsav of Ghaziabad at Indraprastha Engineering College, Sahibabad Ghaziabad on 17th April, 2016in kind presence of Mahamandlesshwar Pujay Swami AnubhutanandJi Maharaj .

Today the most pious gift to humanity is to donate organs or whole body donation after death. At the beset I would like to honour and salute the generous spirit of all those families who had the utter most courage to fulfil the wishes of their loved ones. Though many awareness drives highlight the importance of organ donation, even today few take the path to actually donate a gift to mankind after death. Organ & tissue donation is slowly and steadily acquiring acceptance. But in a conventional and ritual based country like ours whole body donation after natural death still faces many challenges.

Body donation is defined as the act of donating one’s body after death for medical education and research. Delhi Anatomy Act 1953 sets norms for procurement of unclaimed bodies but it has many challenges in terms of time consuming procedural aspects and most importantly the state of unclaimed bodies which make it difficult to study & dissect. Also non availability of proper history of the cause of death pose a danger to the young professionals and doctors with risk of health hazards of infectious diseases during dissection. This stresses the importance & need for voluntary body donation program.

India has more than 150 medical colleges and is considered as the hub for medical education. In this scenario, the demand for body donation is ever increasing to facilitate the training of doctors.

We at Lady Hardinge Medical College, due to paucity of voluntary Body donation started with uniquely designed awareness campaign since 2015. The most valuable segment in the campaign was the collaboration with Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti a NGO which has been working towards the cause for decades.

The Department of Anatomy at LHMC is indeed very fortunate to get associated with various occasions organised by the Samiti which helped us to reach the general community. This gave us an opportunity to interact with a large audience, to resolve their queries and address their apprehensions. The powerpoint presentations delivered by the faculty supported by effective and simple communication in various languages (Hindi, English, Punjabi) had an overwhelming response. These interactions held either in the presences of influential religious Gurus or in religious places helped to send a strong message that all religions support organ / body donation. They help to address the ritual based fears instilled in minds of the people.

Date Venue Occasion
31st January 2016 Vivekanand School, Anand Vihar, East Delhi Deh Daniyon Ka Utsav
17th April,2016 Indraprastha Engineering College, Sahibabad Ghaziabad Third Deh Daniyon Ka Utsav of Ghaziabad
19th February,2017 Pahariwala Gurdwara, Greater Kailash-I Celebration Of Life’

Dr Sohinder Kaur (gave presentation in Punjabi) & Dr Sheetal Joshi on the occasion of Celebration Of Life’at Pahariwala Gurdwara, Greater Kailash-I on 19.02.2017 in kind presence of Sardar S.S. Bhandari, President, Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee

The department is indeed grateful to receive 7 voluntary donation in the year 2016 itself against an average of two donations in three years. This statistical outcome highlights the impact of the awareness campaign initiated and the success story of collaboration with the Samiti. Our association with the family of donors and their belief in the institute has made us more appraised with added responsibility on social front.

Dialogue amongst the stake-holders in the health and medical education was held at NDMC Convention Centre on 02nd July 2016 through efforts of the Samiti. This platform helped Lady Hardinge Medical College to put forth its protocol measures which it has successfully implemented in order to pay respect to donations. This helped to sensitize the stake holders regarding the importance and necessitate the agenda for execution at a pan India level. This is a revolutionary movement which is thought provoking for medical colleges in Delhi / NCR to encourage tribute giving services in medical institutions.

Lady Hardinge Medical College has effectively implemented following protocols in past two years:

  • Oath taking ceremony by faculty and undergraduate medical students in honor of body donors.
  • Honoring the families of body donors on a formal ceremony & appreciation of newly registered donors
  • Institutional publication - Magazine ‘Tribute to a silent teacher – the human body’ based on life of body donors
  • Documentaries designed by students showcasing the lives of body donors.
  • Sensitization of undergraduates about various aspects of organ & body donation through poster & creative writing competitions

These initiatives have helped to instill a sense of social responsibility towards the bequest in the minds of young medical professionals and the faculty of the institute. Through these activities we provide early exposure to acceptable ethical practices. Young doctors learn to encounter ‘The Silent Teacher – The Human Body’ with rightful attitude in the dissection hall which nurture them to behave with compassion & care.

Oath sworn to undergraduate medical students in honor of ‘The Silent Teacher – The Human Body’

Appreciation of Late Niranjan Mitra Family by Shri J. P. Nadda (Chief Guest - Honorable Minister Of Health & Family Welfare) at the felicitation program held at LHMC 12th May 2017

LHMC believes in the mission of making doctors with excellent skills, knowledge & enhanced compassion. In the process we will explore more innovative approaches to produce a complete medical graduate for providing excellent healthcare to the society.

Acknowledgement

  • Jagdish Chandra, Director LHMC for encouragement
  • We are grateful to Shri. Alok Kumar & his team, Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti
  • Undergraduate medical Students at LHMC for their voluntary involvement
  • Administrative staff and stores at LHMC for timely help