A landmark comprehensive workshop on brain death declaration, donor management, and organ donation processes has successfully concluded at Nepal Mediciti.
The workshop was organized by the Nepal Organ Donation Foundation in collaboration with Nepal Mediciti, the Fulbright Specialist Program, and the European Society for Organ Transplantation. It saw active participation from healthcare professionals representing 20 hospitals, including both government and private institutions across the country.
The program was held from April 5 to 10 and concluded with an award ceremony recognizing outstanding participants.
Although Nepal implemented the Human Organ Transplantation Act in 1998 and later amended it in 2016 to include provisions for brain death organ donation, progress in this field has remained limited.
Dr. Pradez Sapkota, Founder President of the Nepal Organ Donation Foundation and a liver transplant surgeon, expressed concern that only seven brain death organ donations have been completed in Nepal to date. He highlighted that a key challenge is the lack of adequate training among ICU and operating theater staff in managing brain death patients.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Upendra Mahato, Chairman of Nepal Mediciti, emphasized the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration. He stated, “In a sensitive area like organ donation, public awareness, skilled manpower, and systemic improvements are crucial. Initiatives like this contribute to building a sustainable and effective transplant system in Nepal.”
Similarly, Dr. Amit Tomar, CEO of Nepal Mediciti, stressed the importance of such initiatives, stating, “Enhancing clarity and practical skills in brain death organ donation is the need of the hour. It has the potential to save many lives.”
The primary objective of the workshop was to provide practical knowledge to doctors, intensivists, nurses, and transplant coordinators on the medical, ethical, and communication aspects of brain death declaration, donor management, and organ donation. A total of 90 healthcare professionals participated, with 30 hospitals each sending one intensivist, one transplant coordinator, and one senior ICU nurse.
The workshop also featured international experts from the United States. Dr. Cinnamon L. Sullivan, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of Transplant Anesthesiology at Emory University, delivered sessions on the practical aspects of brain death testing and ICU management. Similarly, Hope A. Weede, Executive Director of LifeLink of Georgia, provided training on family communication, grief counseling, and organ donation processes based on over 15 years of experience.
The workshop witnessed strong national participation, bringing together 73 healthcare professionals from 20 leading institutions across Nepal. Participating institutions included Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital, Hospital for Advanced Medicine & Surgery, B and B Hospital, Civil Service Hospital, Norvic International Hospital, Grande International Hospital, Birendra Hospital, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, National Trauma Center, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, Shahid Dharmabhakta National Transplant Center, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences, Manipal Teaching Hospital, Dhulikhel Hospital, Scheer Memorial Adventist Hospital, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, and the Nepal Organ Donation Foundation.
Experts noted that brain death organ donation remains critically low in Nepal. The workshop is expected to play a vital role in strengthening multidisciplinary hospital teams by equipping them with essential knowledge and practical skills. It is also expected to contribute to the development of a sustainable national transplant system, uphold patient dignity, support grieving families, and significantly increase life-saving transplant procedures in the country.