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Sehat Nishani
Supporting frontline healthcare workers track immunization, pregnancy and child nutrition activities
Sehat Nishani
Pakistan
Maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) is an area of concern in Pakistan as the country exhibits sub-optimal health and nutrition indicator levels. Although, there has been some improvement over time, the disruption of health and immunization program services, due to lockdowns and other restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to negatively impact the health status of women and children.
Naunehal is a pilot study, which aims to test an integrated strategy of implementing immunization, primary health care, and nutrition services in a high-risk setting of Pakistan. In collaboration with the Principal Investigator of the study, Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, Founding Director of the Institute for Global Health and Development and the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, AKU, AKDN dHRC has developed and implemented the Sehat Nishani mobile app.
It is being used by 57 frontline health care workers, vaccinators, and Lady Health Workers (LHWs), to support them with the recording and tracking of immunization, pregnancy and child nutrition activities conducted in the field in select areas of Quetta and Peshawar. The Sehat Nishani app also includes a patient-facing module to support immunization record access, allowing parents to conveniently keep track of and obtain vaccine records of their children using QR codes and mobile phone numbers.
The primary beneficiaries of Sehat Nishani include women of childbearing age and children less than two years old. The application includes modules to document activities regarding immunization, family planning, pregnancy and illness monitoring for women and immunization, growth, nutrition, and illness monitoring for children.
During 2021, the Sehat Nishani application was developed and piloted. Training on the use of the application was provided to health workers, while implementation took place in September 2021.
Naunehal - Integrated Immunization & MNCH Interventions; A Quasi-Experimental Study is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with implementation support from The Hospital for Sick Children, Canada.