Location: Tertiary Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal
Timeline: April 2025 – Ongoing
Partner: Harvard University (under the Lown Scholar Program)
1. Objectives of the Project
Main Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness and adoption of a structured mobile health (mHealth) intervention—comprising text messages and telephone calls—in improving blood pressure control among adults with hypertension in Nepal.
Specific Objectives:
- Assess the impact of the structured mHealth intervention on blood pressure control among hypertensive adults.
- Explore patient engagement and adherence to the mHealth intervention.
- Identify barriers and facilitators influencing the adoption of digital health tools in hypertension management.
- Generate evidence to inform scalable digital health solutions for non-communicable disease (NCD) management in low-resource settings.
2. Project Area
The study is being conducted at a tertiary-level hospital in Kathmandu, in collaboration with the Sahid Gangalal National Heart Center.
- Focus Group: Adults diagnosed with hypertension.
- Intervention: Structured mHealth approach using automated text messages and periodic telephone calls.
- Study Design: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT).
- Project Duration: 2 years, with a one-year follow-up period post-enrolment.
3. Snapshot of Project Activities
| S.N. | Activities |
|---|---|
| 3.1 | Contract established between Apara Innovations and Harvard University under the Lown Scholar Program |
| 3.2 | Development of study protocol, ethical approval, and preparatory groundwork |
| 3.3 | Formative research conducted to identify barriers to effective hypertension management |
| 3.4 | Design and customization of the structured mHealth intervention (Text & Call Modules) |
| 3.5 | Recruitment and enrolment of participants (scheduled from September 2025) |
| 3.6 | Randomization and baseline data collection |
| 3.7 | Implementation of mHealth intervention and continuous participant follow-up |
| 3.8 | Midline and endline data collection to evaluate intervention effectiveness |
| 3.9 | Analysis of intervention outcomes and adoption levels |
| 3.10 | Dissemination of findings through academic publications and stakeholder presentations |
4. Benefits of the Project
Health Benefits
- Promotes improved blood pressure control among hypertensive adults.
- Enhances patient adherence to medication and healthy lifestyle practices.
- Contributes to the prevention of cardiovascular complications through better self-management.
Research and Policy Benefits
- Provides high-quality evidence on the effectiveness of digital health interventions in hypertension management.
- Supports policy formulation for integrating mHealth solutions into national NCD programs.
- Strengthens Nepal’s capacity for conducting large-scale randomized controlled trials.
Technological and Social Benefits
- Demonstrates the feasibility of using mobile technology to improve chronic disease management.
- Encourages digital health literacy among patients and healthcare workers.
- Builds sustainable models for technology-enabled community health interventions.
5. Collaborators
- Harvard University (Lown Scholar Program)
- Sahid Gangalal National Heart Center
- Apara Innovations
6. Project Leads
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Buna Bhandari
- Oversees the scientific design and implementation of the randomized controlled trial.
Project Lead:
Ms. Rabina Dhakal
- Leads the project operations and coordinates research activities in close collaboration with Sahid Gangalal National Heart Center.