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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 556 5507
Email
sumerasaeed.akhtar@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department
Department of Primary Health Care (Dunedin)
Qualifications
Pharm D, MPhil, PhD (Otago)
Research summary
Health equity, improving health outcomes, health promotion, health intervention
Memberships
  • Public Health Association of New Zealand
  • International Pharmaceutical Federation
  • Overseas Registered Pharmacist

Research

Sumera is a strong qualitative emerging health researcher with experience leading qualitative projects on the medicine practices of migrant women, migrant women's health, management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among South Asian women, and navigation of the healthcare system.

Her research focuses on health equity, specifically equity in healthcare access. She has expertise in engaging with minority populations, especially women, to understand their barriers to optimal healthcare, improve health outcomes, and reduce inequity. She has substantial experience engaging with migrant women to understand women's and children's health. She is interested in how people's knowledge influences medicine use and health access and how their knowledge can be improved.

Research Projects

Improving service delivery for NZ South Asian women with gestational diabetes

  • Grant: Research Career Development Award, HRCNZ ($115,021)

Lived Experiences, Knowledge and management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among New Zealand South Asian Women

  • Grant:: Post Doctoral Fellowship Award, Lottery Health Research, 2025-26 ($160,000)

Publications

Aslam, A., Majid, H. A., Boota, N. M., Mustafa, A. G., & Akhtar, S. S. (2026). Strengthening pharmacovigilance through patient reporting: A scoping review of awareness, barriers, and facilitators. Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy & Practice, 19(1), 2651405. doi: 10.1080/20523211.2026.2651405 Journal - Research Other

Mustafa, A. G., Aslam, A., Aamir, M., Jamshed, S., & Akhtar, S. S. (2026). Evaluating lifestyle and educational factors influencing public knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric ulcer: A cross-sectional study. Health Science Reports, 9(4), e72286. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.72286 Journal - Research Article

Akhtar, S. S., Heydon, S., & Bukhari, N. I. (2025). Informal caregiving in Pakistan: Role of women family caregivers in older people's health. Journal of Aging Research, 2025(1), 2378593. doi: 10.1155/jare/2378593 Journal - Research Article

Akhtar, S., & Leitch, S. (2025). Navigating pregnancy and beyond with gestational diabetes: South Asian women's experiences in New Zealand. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 31(4), 2. doi: 10.1071/PYv31n4abs Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Mann, N. A., Khan, Z., Asghar, S., Rani, A., Hussain, N., Akhtar, S. S., Heydon, S., & Anwar, M. (2025). Patterns of health services and medicine utilisation by first-generation Pakistani immigrants in New Zealand. Health Expectations, 28, e70169. doi: 10.1111/hex.70169 Journal - Research Article

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