Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury stated that modern treatment and rehabilitation can enable patients to return to normal life without medicine. He described it as a major achievement for doctors and a source of joy for patients. The minister made these remarks on Saturday afternoon while inaugurating the Advanced Rehab and Wellness Center in Shahjalal Upashahar, Sylhet.

He emphasized that the government will continue full support to make the country’s healthcare services more sustainable and advanced. Chowdhury also noted that the expansion of physiotherapy and rehabilitation medicine marks positive progress. According to him, physiotherapy, once little known in Bangladesh, has now become an important part of the healthcare system.

The event was attended by the center’s chairman Dr. Md. Almahir Ferdous, chief medical adviser Professor Dr. N. M. Kiran, and professionals from various sectors including doctors, media workers, and health staff.

Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced the withdrawal of an 18 percent sales tax on sanitary products and contraceptives in the 2026–27 national budget, a levy widely known as the “period tax.” The move has led to lower prices for sanitary napkins and related goods, bringing relief to consumers across the country, according to Middle East Eye.

UNICEF Pakistan welcomed the decision, calling it a meaningful step toward addressing period poverty and recognizing sanitary products as essential health and hygiene items rather than luxury goods. The policy shift followed a constitutional petition filed in January 2025 by women’s rights activist and lawyer Mahnoor Omar and tax lawyer Ahsan Jahangir Khan, who argued that the tax violated principles of equality and dignity. The Federal Board of Revenue initially defended the tax but later reversed its stance.

Activists noted that while the tax removal is a major milestone, social taboos, lack of awareness, and limited access to affordable sanitary products continue to hinder millions of women. They urged long-term efforts in education, awareness, and healthcare accessibility to ensure menstrual equity in Pakistan.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain has called on doctors to contribute more actively to social development, emphasizing their close connection with ordinary people. He made the remarks on Friday night while addressing the post-Eid reunion of Chittagong Medical College Alumni Association at the Bhatiari Golf Club auditorium.

The minister recalled with respect the contributions and sacrifices of the people of Chittagong in the Liberation War and the 2024 mass movement. He stated that within four and a half months of forming the government, notable progress had been achieved in poverty alleviation and establishing a corruption-free environment. He also mentioned that the Bangladesh Public Service Commission had initiated recruitment to fill vacant medical positions across the country.

The event was presided over by Professor Dr. Saifuddin Md. Tariq, with Chittagong City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain as special guest. Four former students of Chittagong Medical College were honored for their special contributions in various fields.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul declared that any official involved in corruption or irregularities will face dismissal rather than transfer. Speaking as chief guest at the annual general meeting of Narsingdi Diabetic Hospital on Saturday, he emphasized that no recommendation for wrongdoing will be accepted and such opportunities will no longer exist.

The minister announced plans to upgrade every 50-bed upazila hospital to 101 beds and to build 20 modern hospitals across the country with Chinese assistance, including two of advanced standard. One of these will be established in Narsingdi. He also said each upazila hospital will receive 10 kidney dialysis machines to improve rural healthcare access.

Bakul directed the civil surgeon to report within a week on whether all private hospitals in Narsingdi have 10-bed labor wards, warning that any violation of regulations could lead to license cancellation. He stressed the need to eliminate brokers from hospitals and urged the administration to work sincerely to make Narsingdi free from corruption and drugs.

Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists in Jhalakathi formed a human chain on Saturday morning demanding the immediate opening of the district’s 250-bed general hospital. The hour-long demonstration took place on the road in front of the hospital, with participation from district Jamaat and its affiliated organizations. District Ameer Advocate Hafizur Rahman, Secretary Faridul Haque, and Assistant Secretary Maulana Abdul Hai addressed the gathering.

Speakers said that although construction of the hospital was completed long ago, it has yet to begin operations, depriving residents of essential healthcare. They blamed the delay on negligence by public representatives and authorities, noting that similar 250-bed hospitals in other districts are already functioning. Participants expressed frustration over the prolonged inaction.

According to the report, the foundation stone of the hospital was laid in 2018, and the building was inaugurated in 2023 by the then Member of Parliament. Nearly three years after the inauguration, the hospital remains unopened, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without improved medical services.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bakul announced that within the next six months, all 50-bed hospitals at the upazila level across Bangladesh will be upgraded to 100-bed hospitals. He said that each hospital will include a 10-bed kidney dialysis unit so that patients with kidney problems no longer need to travel to Dhaka for treatment. The initiative aims to expand healthcare accessibility in rural areas.

The minister made the announcement on Friday afternoon while addressing a seed and fertilizer distribution event for farmers at the Monohardi Upazila Parishad premises in Narsingdi. The event was chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer M A Muhaimin Al Jihan and attended by local officials and leaders from the BNP and its affiliated organizations.

According to the minister, the government is committed to overall public welfare, including providing sewing machines and wheelchairs, and has taken initiatives involving multiple ministries to improve citizens’ quality of life.

Bangladesh’s national telehealth service ‘Sastho Batayon 16263’, which has provided free medical advice to millions for nearly a decade, is now at risk of closure due to prolonged funding suspension and the expiry of its government contract. The service, operated by private firm Synesis IT under the Directorate General of Health Services’ e-Health program, has not paid staff for 22 months. Its contract expired on April 30, 2026, and no new tender has yet been issued, leading to reduced staffing and declining service quality.

Launched in 2015, the helpline became a vital source of remote healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering 24-hour access to doctors, health information, and emergency guidance. It has handled over 28 million calls since inception, but daily response capacity has dropped from 6,000 to about 3,500 calls due to staff cuts. Synesis IT has requested a one-year extension, while the health directorate proposed six months; the decision awaits ministry approval.

Officials said funding delays stem from the expiration of the previous health sector program and pending budget allocations. Experts warn that continued uncertainty could deprive rural and low-income populations of essential medical advice.

For the first time in Bangladesh, doctors at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka have successfully performed an intrauterine fetal blood transfusion on an unborn baby. The complex procedure was completed last Tuesday at the hospital’s specialized maternal and fetal medicine unit. It was carried out to save the life of a fetus suffering from severe anemia caused by blood group incompatibility, with blood safely transfused into the umbilical vessel under ultrasound guidance.

The medical team was led by Dr. Khondoker Shehnila Tasmin, head of the Feto-Maternal Medicine Unit, with support from senior professors across obstetrics, pediatrics, anesthesiology, hematology, and transfusion medicine departments. Hospital authorities said this success will enable pregnant women with similar complications to receive advanced treatment at public hospitals in the future.

According to the doctors, intrauterine transfusion is a highly advanced procedure that can significantly reduce fetal death risk and extend pregnancy duration when performed timely. The hospital plans to further expand prenatal diagnostic and treatment services to ensure the highest quality care for mothers and unborn children.

Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain has warned that dengue infections could intensify during July and August. Speaking at an event in the pathology department of Dhaka Medical College on Thursday afternoon, he said the Ministry of Health and its directorates have taken adequate preparations to control the situation and called on everyone to remain alert.

The minister stated that NS1 test kits for dengue detection have been distributed to police stations, upazilas, and district levels. Hospitals in Dhaka and other major cities have been kept ready to operate if patient numbers rise. Emphasizing public awareness, he urged community participation from the union level to religious leaders, including mosque imams, to maintain cleanliness and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

He reiterated that beyond treatment, destroying mosquito breeding grounds and ensuring a clean environment are the most effective ways to control dengue outbreaks.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman, vice-chairperson of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and spouse of the Prime Minister, has called for urgent expansion of intensive care and emergency health services to rural areas of Bangladesh. Speaking as the chief guest at the 2026 National Conference of the Bangladesh Society of Critical Care Medicine in Dhaka on Wednesday, she warned that 68–70 percent of the population lives in villages, yet 80–90 percent of life-saving ICU facilities are concentrated in the capital and major cities.

She urged the establishment of intensive care units in every district and general hospital to reduce the urban-rural healthcare gap. Dr. Rahman highlighted that Bangladesh currently has only 1.7 ICU beds and nine general hospital beds per 100,000 people, with 38 out of 64 districts lacking any ICU facilities. She also noted severe shortages of specialist doctors, trained nurses, and essential medical equipment, which lead to preventable deaths among newborns, pregnant women, elderly stroke patients, and accident victims in remote areas.

Emphasizing improved ambulance services, she said modern ambulances could help transfer critical patients quickly to district hospitals even if rural ICUs are unavailable.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Venezuela faces a heightened risk of multiple disease outbreaks following a recent earthquake. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said hospitals are operating beyond capacity due to a surge in injured patients. He cautioned that low vaccination rates before the quake have increased the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and diphtheria. The organization also noted the potential spread of mosquito- and water-borne illnesses, including yellow fever, malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez reported that 38 hospitals were damaged in the earthquake, leaving the remaining facilities overwhelmed. She said disruptions in infection control and extreme fatigue among medical staff have deepened the health system crisis. In response, Japan announced it will send emergency relief supplies, including water purification equipment, containers, and tarpaulins for temporary shelters. South Korea pledged 5 million US dollars in humanitarian aid through international organizations and expressed readiness to dispatch rescue teams if requested by Venezuela.

Six schoolchildren were injured in a rabid dog attack at Hamlaikola Government Primary School field in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore on Tuesday afternoon. The incident occurred while the children were playing badminton, when one of them accidentally fell on the dog, provoking it to bite him and then attack five other classmates. Locals later beat the dog to death and disposed of its body in the nearby Nandakuja River.

The injured children—aged between 10 and 12—were taken to Gurudaspur Upazila Health Complex on Wednesday morning, where they received wound treatment and anti-rabies vaccines. Health officials confirmed that the children sustained bite injuries on their hands, legs, and jaws but are expected to recover if they complete the full vaccination schedule.

Upazila health authorities stated that there is no shortage of anti-rabies vaccines at the hospital. They also noted a recent rise in cat bite cases and emphasized the need for public awareness about vaccinating domestic animals, including cats, to prevent rabies infections.

At least ten people, including several children, were injured after being bitten by a dog in Dumki upazila of Patuakhali on Tuesday morning. The attacks began around 9 a.m. in different areas of the upazila, and the injured were treated at the Dumki Upazila Health Complex’s emergency department. Five of the victims were later referred to Patuakhali Sadar Hospital for advanced treatment.

Witnesses said a black-and-white dog roamed through several villages, biting pedestrians and children. The incident has caused widespread fear among residents. Most of the injured victims are children aged between five and eleven.

Dumki Upazila Livestock Officer Ashik Hazra stated that the matter has been reported to the upazila administration and that efforts are underway to identify and capture the dog. Health officials confirmed that all ten victims received medical care following the attacks.

Serious allegations have emerged regarding the quality, storage, and distribution of milk supplied under the school feeding program in several government primary schools in Bajitpur upazila of Kishoreganj. Reports indicate that milk packets distributed to students were dirty, with dust, dark stains, and even insects visible on some packets. Similar complaints had previously been raised about the supply of bread, eggs, and bananas under the same program, prompting parents to express concern over potential health risks to children.

During a visit to Humaypur Government Primary School, milk packets were found in unhygienic condition, while earlier incidents at Gazirchar Government Primary School involved moldy bread and rotten eggs. Local parents questioned whether substandard food had been distributed for a long time and criticized the apparent neglect of rural students’ nutrition. Similar complaints were also reported from Mashimpur Government Primary School, where teachers and parents expressed dissatisfaction.

Local residents and concerned groups have urged authorities to test the quality of all food items distributed under the program and to conduct a transparent investigation into the allegations to ensure accountability and safety.

The Khulna Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, established in 1983 under the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, is facing severe allegations of mismanagement and favoritism. Patients from distant areas are reportedly suffering as serial registration closes before 8:30 a.m., and test reports are delayed by up to ten days. Many are redirected to private diagnostic centers. Director Dr. Jharna Das, who has been at the center for 21 years, is accused of running ISKCON-related activities within the government facility and providing free tests and early reports to ISKCON members while ordinary patients endure long waits.

Staff members allege that Dr. Das’s prolonged tenure has led to authoritarian behavior, irregularities, and corruption. Fourteen employees have sought transfers due to her conduct. Written complaints have been submitted to the Atomic Energy Commission chairman and the finance director, citing procurement corruption and administrative disorder. Despite having modern equipment, the center performs limited daily tests, and the director reportedly conducts private diagnostic work using government vehicles.

Attempts to contact Dr. Das for comment were unsuccessful, as she was reportedly on leave and declined to respond to inquiries.