NoviGuide for Newborn Care in Pakistan
Official title: NoviGuide Newborn Essentials: Clinical decision support tool to inform neonatal health care provider decision-making in Pakistan.
Funded at Aga Khan University (Pakistan) · NIH-11624823 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small NIH grant to test a pocket-sized decision support tool for nurses and doctors to improve newborn care in Pakistan.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Aga Khan University (Pakistan) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Karachi, Pakistan) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $28,855 |
| NIH project number | 3R21TW012977-01A1S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11624823 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Neonatal patients in Pakistan treated at secondary and tertiary facilities where NoviGuide is used by nurses and providers.
✕Less likely to help
In settings with minimal technology infrastructure or where providers are not using the tool, benefits may be limited.
What this research studies
This project tests NoviGuide, a mobile decision-support app, to help frontline neonatal providers make better care choices for newborns in Pakistan. It focuses on real-world healthcare settings to see how the tool affects provider knowledge, confidence, and care decisions at the point of care. The study will examine nurse- and clinician-facing indicators of care quality in secondary facilities and how these indicators relate to neonatal outcomes. The research builds on prior results from Africa and aims to generate evidence that could be useful for similar health systems elsewhere. The effort is designed as a short-term, implementational inquiry that could guide broader adoption if successful.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, clinicians may make quicker, more informed decisions, potentially improving newborn care and reducing complications.
How similar studies have gone: Prior evaluations in Africa showed improved nurse knowledge and self-efficacy with NoviGuide, but not yet in South Asia.
Where this research is happening
-
Aga Khan University (Pakistan)
Karachi, Pakistan Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ladak, Laila Akbar — Aga Khan University (Pakistan)
- Study coordinator: Ladak, Laila Akbar
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NoviGuide for Newborn Care in Pakistan
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.