Gates Open Research

Introduction Contraceptive use is essential for improving maternal and child health, yet family planning (FP) uptake in Pakistan remains low, with stark disparities shaped by both individual and community-level influences. While individual determinants such as education and wealth have been widely studied, the role of community norms, peer influence, and social networks in shapi...

Background Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care (iKMC) involves the initiation of skin-to-skin contact (SSC) between the mother (or an additional caregiver) and preterm and/or LBW infants within the first hours of birth, with exclusive breastfeeding. While KMC has traditionally been initiated after the infant stabilizes, immediate initiation of SSC has proven more effective in reducin...

Background Despite the declining malaria burden in endemic countries, reports of febrile episodes do not align with the current patterns of malaria transmission. This highlights the presence of non-malarial febrile illnesses (NMFIs), which are difficult to distinguish from malaria. This study assessed the country-wide prevalence of NMFIs and their patterns across various malaria...

Despite global gains in vaccination coverage, Pakistan continues to lag in achieving universal immunization, with vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) contributing to approximately 15% of all deaths annually. We explored missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) when eligible children failed to receive vaccines when their mothers visited healthcare facilities for unrelated medic...