In a significant stride towards improving maternal health outcomes in Pakistan, Dr. Maryam Mustafa from the Department of Computer Science at SBASSE LUMS along with her Co-PI Dr. Beena Ahmed at the University of New South Wales, have been awarded the Google Academic Research Award for 2024 (GARA). This honor acknowledges her innovative research aimed at addressing the pressing challenges faced by pregnant women in underserved communities.
Dr. Mustafa's pioneering project, APPA: AI Antenatal and Postnatal Pregnancy Assistant, harnesses the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) to develop an AI, speech based virtual midwife capable of delivering critical information and support in Urdu to expecting mothers. Designed specifically for low-literate pregnant women, APPA provides accessible at-home resources, timely reminders, guidance, and support directly through smartphones through speech.
The Google Academic Research Award not only recognizes Dr. Mustafa’s outstanding research but also highlights the transformative role of technology in improving maternal health care outcomes in low and middle income countries. As Dr. Mustafa advances her project, APPA has the potential to significantly improve maternal health outcomes in Pakistan, reducing mortality rates and enhancing care quality for mothers and their children.
For more information about Dr. Maryam Mustafa’s innovative work, visit her website here. 
This award underscores Dr. Mustafa’s commitment to integrating technology and healthcare to serve the most vulnerable communities, and we look forward to the positive changes her efforts will bring to maternal health in Pakistan. 
Congratulations to Dr. Mustafa on this well-deserved recognition!