Super Abbu is educating fathers in Pakistan to improve maternal health

In his efforts to improve paternal engagement during pregnancy and childbirth in Pakistan, a social entrepreneur, and professor at University of Michigan, Mustafa Naseem, has launched a “Super Abbu” (super dad) project which is basically a hotline to educate low literate fathers in the country.

During pregnancy and delivery, the role of the father is generally limited to providing transportation and financial support, and that is not enough. In most cases, it has been observed that fathers are the decision-makers regarding healthcare and, without proper knowledge, can unknowingly make choices that could be unfavorable for both mother and child. According to a report, Pakistan ranks among the worst in the world for infant and maternal mortality with 52 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Realizing this social issue, Mustafa Naseem launched this “Super Abbu” project where fathers can simply call their helpline at 0423 890 0809 to get required information regarding paternal engagement. A doctor named Saba will answer their call and will teach them how to take care of their wives during pregnancy and the delivery.

Dr. Saba educates fathers about things like the nutritional requirements of pregnant women, medical attention that they may need to ensure a safe and healthy baby and the possible costs a family might spend during the delivery, among other things.

In the first two months of its launching, Super Abbu project received over 40,000 phone calls and 96 percent of them were from men. Besides the option of hotline where no internet access or smartphone is available, fathers can also submit a question or listen to public questions and stories from other users by submitting a query on their website.

Mustafa has also secured a grant from UNICEF Innovation Ventures with the collaboration of Sacha Ahmad, a doctoral student at the University of Maryland and Agha Ali Raza, a professor of information technology at a university in Pakistan.

So, if you are married and want to become a “Super Abbu”, contact this service and get the information you require.