Understanding Perceptions and Practices for Designing an Appropriate Community-Based Kangaroo Mother Care Implementation Package: Qualitative Exploratory Study.

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a common outcome of preterm birth, which increases the risk of an infant's morbidity and mortality. Approximately 20 million infants are born with LBW globally per year. Since a significant number of births in Pakistan take place at home, it is important to focus on the use of kangaroo mother care (KMC), the practice of skin-to-skin contact, in communities to prevent neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Impact of local terminology on the design of a community-based diagnostic and management algorithm for postpartum sepsis: findings of formative research.

Background: Postpartum sepsis is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality and morbidity in developing countries. This formative research elicits local terms used for postpartum illnesses and symptoms of postpartum sepsis with the aim of improving postpartum diagnosis and management in Pakistan.

Methods: We conducted 34 in-depth interviews with recently delivered women (RDW), traditional birth attendants (TBAs), healthcare providers and family members of RDW from rural Sindh to explore local Sindhi terms used to describe postpartum sepsis and related symptoms.

Socio-anthropological methods to study the feasibility and acceptability of the minimally invasive autopsy from the perspective of local communities: lessons learnt from a large multi-centre study.

The minimally invasive autopsy (MIA), an innovative approach for obtaining post-mortem samples of key organs, is increasingly being recognized as a robust methodology for cause of death (CoD) investigation, albeit so far limited to pilot studies and research projects. A better understanding of the real causes of death in middle- and low-income countries, where underlying causes of death are seldom determined, would allow improved health planning, more targeted prioritization of available resources and the implementation of coherent public health policies. This paper discusses lessons learnt from the implementation of a Feasibility and Acceptability (F&A) study evaluating the MIA approach in five countries: Gabon, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique and Pakistan.

Willingness to Know the Cause of Death and Hypothetical Acceptability of the Minimally Invasive Autopsy in Six Diverse African and Asian Settings: A Mixed Methods Socio-Behavioural Study.

Background: The minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) is being investigated as an alternative to complete diagnostic autopsies for cause of death (CoD) investigation. Before potential implementation of the MIA in settings where post-mortem procedures are unusual, a thorough assessment of its feasibility and acceptability is essential.

Methods And Findings: We conducted a socio-behavioural study at the community level to understand local attitudes and perceptions related to death and the hypothetical feasibility and acceptability of conducting MIAs in six distinct settings in Gabon, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, and Pakistan.

Potential for task-sharing to Lady Health Workers for identification and emergency management of pre-eclampsia at community level in Pakistan.

Background: An estimated 276 Pakistani women die for every 100,000 live births; with eclampsia accounting for about 10 % of these deaths. Community health workers contribute to the existing health system in Pakistan under the banner of the Lady Health Worker (LHW) Programme and are responsible to provide a comprehensive package of antenatal services. However, there is a need to increase focus on early identification and prompt diagnosis of pre-eclampsia in community settings, since women with mild pre-eclampsia often present without symptoms.

Community's perceptions of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in Sindh Pakistan: a qualitative study.

Background: Maternal mortality is of global public health concern and >99 % of maternal deaths occur in less developed countries. The common causes of direct maternal death are hemorrhage, sepsis and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. In Pakistan, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia deaths represents one-third of maternal deaths reported at the tertiary care hospital settings.

Health care seeking behaviours in pregnancy in rural Sindh, Pakistan: a qualitative study.

Background: Pakistan has alarmingly high numbers of maternal mortality along with suboptimal care-seeking behaviour. It is essential to identify the barriers and facilitators that women and families encounter, when deciding to seek maternal care services. This study aimed to understand health-seeking patterns of pregnant women in rural Sindh, Pakistan.

Acceptability of locally produced ready-to-use therapeutic foods in Ethiopia, Ghana, Pakistan and India.

Successful treatment of severe acute malnutrition has been achieved with ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), but only 15% of children with severe acute malnutrition receive RUTF. The objective of this study was to determine whether new formulations of RUTF produced using locally available ingredients were acceptable to young children in Ethiopia, Ghana, Pakistan and India. The local RUTFs were formulated using a linear programming tool that allows for inclusion of only local ingredients and minimizes cost.

A comparative evaluation of multiple micronutrient and iron-folic acid supplementation during pregnancy in Pakistan: impact on pregnancy outcomes.

Background: Maternal micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in Pakistan and are potentially associated with maternal undernutrition and intrauterine growth retardation. Intervention strategies largely consist of administration of iron-folic acid supplements during pregnancy.

Objective: We evaluated the acceptability of multiple micronutrient supplementation and its potential benefits on pregnancy outcomes and maternal micronutrient status in a cohort of pregnant women in rural and urban Sindh through a cluster-randomized design.

Health care utilization for diarrhea and fever in 4 urban slums in Karachi.

Objective: To estimate the fraction of fever and diarrhea patients making use of private practitioners, self-treatment, hospital care, drug vendors, community health centers and traditional healers.

Design: A cross-sectional survey.

Place And Duration Of Study: Four slums in and around Karachi during October and November, 2001.