Completed Projects
Measurement Partner in a Rural Family Planning (Marvi-HANDS)
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supported HANDS to conduct a large-scale FP implementation program in 3 districts of rural Sindh. RADS is the M&E and Research partner to review progress and help build knowledge generation, train Marvis, address bottlenecks, data management etc. Throughout this 40 month project, RADS is responsible for monthly monitoring, developing content for the knowledge products, research on FP barriers, and Endline Impact Assessment.
Longitudinal assessment of EPI Cold Chain Equipment (Gavi, JSI)
RADS was the recipient of JSI-GAVI funding to assess nationwide gaps in the cold storage and vaccination supply-chain mechanisms. RADS teams conduct baseline, midline and endline assessments plus capacity building dialogue with national and district level facilities to help overcome existing challenges serving as a bridge between EPI and JSI-GAVI. This is a multi-country GAVI support grant to assess effectiveness of its CCEOP mechanisms and outcomes of GAVI aid.
Assessment of the MARVI Female Entrepreneurship & Outreach Model (David and Lucile Packard Foundation)
This was a combined qualitative-quantitative, multi stage evaluation of the MARVI FP and RH outreach model analysing the results of the intervention, along with women’s empowerment, social mobilization of the communities and the entrepreneurship model to identify how it might be sustained and scaled up across the country and region.
Evidence to Advocacy (USAID)
Substantial data is available on Maternal and Child Health issues in Pakistan in the form of research studies, routine surveys, and service delivery data from programs and projects. However, these sources of data are mostly dispersed and decision-makers have rarely the interest, skills, or time to take them into consideration when making critical programming and policy decisions. We collated and analyzed available data on MNCH in Pakistan, into easily actionable information and made these results available to decision-makers and influencers. This information remains available on our public access website and in international publications (accessible via Google Scholar, Pubmed/ Medline, Researchgate, Academia, etc.). Policy briefs are still recognized as the “go-to” sources for in-depth and authentic information on family planning and health systems issues.
Local grant management partner for (Susan T. Buffett Foundation)
The foundation funded FP and abortion/ post abortion care through ten national and international NGOs. As their local partner, RADS liaised with the NGOs to understand programming, learnt new lessons including creating demand for FP and safe access to abortions. We conducted annual rounds of mixed qualitative-quantitative assessments of providers and management of the NGOs to identify lessons from the field for the NGOs and the Foundation.
Understanding Decision Making in the Public Sector (USAID/DFID/ Packard Foundation)
Health systems often underperform due to poor implementation and decisions rather than a lack of availability of resources such as funds, personnel or supplies. We examined how public sector decision-makers acquire or use information to arrive at decisions, and what formal or informal groups inform their decisions. The analysis was conducted using a public choice theory lens to understand individual vs. institutional motives.
Urban Laboratory: Development of an Urban Health and Poverty Site and Cohort for Testing Interventions (USAID, Punjab Government, Other funders and RADS CSR)
RADS established an information and surveillance capacity in an urban informal settlement in Dhok Hassu, Rawalpindi to allow testing of health and development interventions. We mapped the population and facilities, and conducted qualitative needs assessment, employment survey and a series of annual surveys of key indicators. RADS undertakes the measurements (measurement surveys, qualitative research and helps document household visits, services and behaviour changes with online dashboards etc) while its partner NGO, Akhter Hameed Khan Resource Center (AHKRC) implements programs to test innovative ideas in development, empowerment and health for the urban poor.
Evaluation of Zinc and ORS treatment on diarrhoea among children in Punjab (Nutrition International)
The project was an end line evaluation of a community intervention where government outreach workers were training in the use of Zinc and ORS for treatment of childhood diarrhea. Due to limitations of design (RADS was asked to come in at the end line only and no control location was selected), innovative techniques were used to measure the impact of the intervention in two districts with surveys of over 3000 households.
Third Party Validation of a national Family Planning Program (DFID)
DFID funded three INGOs (Marie Stopes International, Population Services International and DKT International) to provide FP services via social franchising and social marketing. RADS conducted biannual verification of NGO services, activities, quality and commodities, and followed their trends to recommend payments in 47 districts simultaneously, and helped understand the contribution of these interventions in the national effort.
Assessment of Health Systems Support with GFATM funding to Pakistan (Plan International)
Pakistan has received over a quarter of a billion USD funding from the GFATM for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria with support for health systems embedded within each grant. RADS studied the impact of this support on health systems and identified areas where health systems may be improved.
Formative Research for Establishment of National Family Planning Program (DKT)
RADS helped DKT establish their first program in Pakistan. This was a 3-year long formative research project to help identify operational modalities for community midwives, worked with them to understand their operational context, monitored their progress, and conducted further qualitative research to connect progress with programmatic actions.
Cost of Diet and Optifood Analysis of poor communities across Pakistan (UNICEF)
This assessment was conducted in 12 districts across all provinces and jurisdictions. The aim was to understand how the poor procure food, what alternative options are available in their localities and how (or if) these may be substituted for cheaper and more nutritious alternatives. RADS collected data in collaboration with international consultants and the World Food Program. The study was a part of the larger National Nutrition Assessment.
End Line Evaluation of the Sukh Initiative (Gates, Packard and Aman Foundations)
RADS was the measurement partner for the end line evaluation of this large multi-donor urban family planning initiative. We assessed the efficacy of the intervention and that of individual solution levers and explored the contribution of each lever and Sukh’s institutional arrangements towards the results and how these lessons may apply to its large scale follow up.