App Advisor: Khair

Written by : Aimen Atiq 

Technology has revolutionized healthcare, and the vast array of platforms and apps dedicated to convenient maintenance of health and wellbeing is a testament to that. This includes women’s healthcare apps, a market which has unfortunately remained untapped in Pakistan. Resultantly, my excitement as a woman and an avid user of such global apps, was unmatched when I came across Pakistan’s first period and pregnancy tracking app, and a trial and subsequent review became inevitable!

Khair is a platform founded by Mahnoor Farishta (CEO) that ‘aims to digitize healthcare for women from awareness to access’. As part of its initiative, HealthKhair (Private) Limited has developed Pakistan’s first period and pregnancy tracking app. The third and latest version of the Khair app, Version 1.3, is available for free download for both Android and iOS users and provides women with various features that enable them to regulate and maintain their health at the tip of their fingers.

Functionality/Unique Selling Point (USP)

As mentioned earlier, Khair is the pioneer of women’s healthcare apps in the Pakistani market and caters to a wide demographic of women owing to the versatility of its features ranging from period and pregnancy tracking to diabetic analysis and chronic tracking for blood pressure. Since the app is meant for the overall health and well-being of women, it also has additional features such as a detailed, step-by-step guide to conduct a Breast Cancer Self-Exam, a BMI calculator, and a subscription that allows you to consult online with a GP or a PMDC certified doctor all within the comfort of your own home. The Khair app also provides its users with the service of subscription-based Period Packages containing menstrual hygiene products that are delivered at your doorstep every month or every 2 months, depending on your choice of either the Basic or the Premium package. However, convenience isn’t the only commendable aspect of this feature, as Khair donates 2 packs of sanitary napkins to the underprivileged for every 6 packs that you purchase, thus contributing to a primary aim of theirs to end period poverty.

User Experience

The platform’s deliberate efforts to cater to Pakistani women as a whole is evident as the language preferences allow the users to choose between English, Urdu, and Roman Urdu to maximize the app’s accessibility for the audience, regardless of their background and socioeconomic status. The app is straightforward and easy to navigate, primarily due to the use of simple language that serves the purpose, assisted by action buttons that prompt the user to explore and consequently understand the various features of the Khair app. Users can also utilize the Khair Support helpline on the app’s homepage along with the Khair Community Support feature available for members to engage with one another through questions and answers, in order to ensure a beneficial and positive experience for the users. For the user’s convenience, it allows them to organize their medical records, keep track of their appointments and find the nearest hospitals, all in one place for quick and easy access, especially during emergencies.

Design

The Khair app has a visually appealing design with a complementary color palette against a white background that ensures clarity of content, and an appropriate amount of information such that the audience is engaged but with minimized cognitive load. The interactive features are familiar and easy to understand, allowing the users to feel a sense of control, especially since it is an app that is directly related to everyday health and fitness, and hence is of a personal nature. Additionally, the utilization of visual aids assists the users in understanding and utilizing the various features of the app. Most importantly, the design is consistent throughout the app as well as with the Khair.pk website which creates a sense of harmony and helps to keep the audience engaged by avoiding confusion and unnecessary processing of varied and inconsistent elements.

My overall experience of the Khair app was a surprisingly pleasant one, especially considering that it is the first of its kind in Pakistan. The features are effective and convenient to navigate, and definitely comparable to those of the global apps. The app is proof of the pivotal role that technology plays in awareness and access to better lifestyle choices and will hopefully pave the way for addressing women’s healthcare in Pakistan.

Bio:

A student of Mass Communication at NUST, Aimen Atiq was born and raised as an expat and used her knack for writing to document her life and experiences. With Digital Pakistan’s esteemed platform and other such opportunities in the future, she hopes to turn her passion into a successful and fulfilling career.