Pakistan

Developing and Evaluating an Expert-Benchmarked Educational Framework for Community Health Workers to Guide Women on Contraceptive Use and Family Planning: Insights from the Sukh Initiative, Karachi, Pakistan

This study examined a structured training approach for Community Health Workers (CHWs) in peri-urban Karachi to help women make informed choices about contraception and family planning. The approach used simple, culturally appropriate materials in different local languages and was based on the needs of the communities served. Programme data showed increased use of modern … [Read more...] about Developing and Evaluating an Expert-Benchmarked Educational Framework for Community Health Workers to Guide Women on Contraceptive Use and Family Planning: Insights from the Sukh Initiative, Karachi, Pakistan

This study tested a structured training program for Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Abdullah Goth, Karachi, where many residents have limited access to formal healthcare. The training helped CHWs improve their knowledge of common health problems and their ability to refer patients to the right government health facilities. After training, correct referrals increased from 28% … [Read more...] about Developing and Evaluating an Expert-Benchmarked Educational Framework for Community Health Workers to Guide and Refer Patients to Government Health Institutions

This study found that training community health workers and their supervisors improved their ability to recognize anxiety and depression, provide basic emotional support, and refer people for further care when needed. The training was especially effective in building practical skills, showing that community health workers can play an important role in expanding access to mental … [Read more...] about Improving mental health literacy of frontline community health workers in a rural district of Pakistan: mPareshan project

This study in Pakistan tested a digital-supported mental health program delivered by community-based health workers to women experiencing emotional distress. The program included guided sessions, videos, and simple tools to help workers deliver care more consistently. Most participants completed all sessions, and the quality of delivery was high. Women who took part showed … [Read more...] about Feasibility and acceptability of technology-assisted problem management plus (TA-PM+) in community settings in Pakistan: a pre-post mixed-methods study

After severe floods in Pakistan disrupted health services and increased mental health needs, a digital program called mPareshan trained community health workers to provide app-based counseling for anxiety and depression. Despite the crisis and shortage of mental health professionals, these workers continued supporting affected communities using the mobile tool. The project … [Read more...] about Frontline heroes: Leveraging community health workers as first responders for climate-related digital mental health support