Stroke, a life-threatening and debilitating illness, is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Citizens of Pakistan suffer a considerable burden of this devastating disease, as the country lacks stroke management and post-stroke rehabilitation facilities. To overcome the rising mortality rates and stroke recurrence in the first year of cases, the Aga Khan University (AKU) has developed an electronic prescription application, entitled Rahbar.

The Rahbar application is the product of a successful pilot study, Movies4Stroke, carried out under Dr Ayeesha Kamal, through evidence-based research and clinical testing at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.

Rahbar, meaning ‘Guide’ in Urdu, provides stroke survivors and their caregivers with access to 42 educational videos, validated through the Movies4Stroke pilot study. Educational videos are available in local languages with graphic animations for stroke patients and their caregivers’ to encourage better understanding. The videos provide information on topics such as: what a stroke is; rehabilitation skills; safe swallowing and language; understanding the purpose of medications and how they function; and prevention of further stroke through adoption of lifestyle changes.

The Rahbar app aims to empower caregivers to provide improved care at home in areas with a dearth of doctors and nurses, and to prepare them for potential emergencies. The application offers user-friendly design with robust functionality that equips stroke patients and their caregivers with a powerful tool to address day-to-day complications. Rahbar is the first mobile solution prescribed to patients at the AKUH, Karachi, and is included as part of the Mind and Brain service line. The app is available on the Google Play Store and since February 2019, has been included as part of the post-stroke management package at PKR 10,000 to help reduce the number of readmissions and avoidable deaths due to aspiration pneumonia.