SHINE Humanity and the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at Aga Khan University have formalised a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition outcomes across underserved communities in Pakistan.
The collaboration brings together SHINE Humanity’s extensive community-based healthcare delivery experience with AKU’s clinical, research, and academic expertise. Under the MoU, both institutions will work jointly across key areas including nutrition counselling and cross-learning, development and adaptation of malnutrition treatment guidelines for community settings, and the introduction of intravenous (IV) iron therapy for women suffering from moderate to severe anaemia during pregnancy.
A major pillar of the partnership also includes data and artificial intelligence (AI) collaboration, where SHINE Humanity’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR) data will be explored for joint research and predictive modelling. This work aligns with AKU’s broader efforts, including its AI Hub for Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition, being developed in collaboration with leading academic partners.
Commenting on the partnership, Faheem Khan, CEO of SHINE Humanity, said that this MoU is about collaboration and learning together. “By leveraging AKU’s research and technical expertise alongside SHINE Humanity’s field experience, we are creating a platform for smarter, data-informed solutions to maternal and child health challenges.”
Dr. Fyezah Jehan, Chair of the Department of Paediatrics & Child Health at AKU added, “This partnership represents a powerful model for how academic institutions and community-based organizations can work together to deliver measurable health improvements. By combining rigorous research with proven community health delivery systems, we can develop interventions that are both evidence-based and practically implementable at scale.”
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by senior leadership and technical teams from both organisations. SHINE Humanity was represented by its Board, advisory, and Programs team, while AKU’s delegation included senior faculty from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, research leadership in addition to representatives from the Medical College.
The partnership is expected to enhance the quality of care delivered at the community level while contributing to research, innovation, and learning that can inform national and regional health strategies.