Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the immediate activation of six unused children's hospitals located in Rangpur, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barishal, Sylhet, and Cumilla. The order followed a newspaper report published on April 12 highlighting that hospital buildings worth Tk 320 crore had remained unused for years. After reviewing the report, the Prime Minister held an emergency meeting with Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain, State Minister Dr. M A Muhit, and Health Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, instructing them to inspect and operationalize the facilities without delay.

The Prime Minister also ordered a comprehensive progress report by June 2, 2026. During the meeting, he directed the full activation of the partially operational 500-bed Kushtia Medical College Hospital and the swift opening of other hospitals, including the super-specialized facility under Bangladesh Medical University in Dhaka’s Shahbagh. Additionally, he instructed the Foreign Ministry to engage the Chinese Embassy to expedite construction of the 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship Hospital in Nilphamari.

According to the Health Secretary, the Nilphamari hospital will serve as a regional referral center for the northern region, where poverty and limited health infrastructure have hindered access to advanced medical care.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has initiated its first-ever pre-monsoon Aedes mosquito larvae survey to prevent dengue and chikungunya in the capital. The program was officially inaugurated on Sunday at Buriganga Hall of Nagar Bhaban by DSCC Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Md Abdus Salam. A total of 2,250 houses—30 from each of DSCC’s 75 wards—were selected randomly for the 12-day survey, conducted jointly by DSCC and the Directorate General of Health Services’ Communicable Disease Control unit, involving 36 field workers.

To ensure data accuracy, the modern Kobo Toolbox system is being used. The results will be analyzed using Breteau, House, Container, and Pupa indices to identify potential dengue hotspots. During the launch, Abdus Salam emphasized the importance of scientific and effective measures to protect citizens from dengue, warning field workers against negligence.

Following the inauguration, the administrator inspected the central veterinary hospital at Fulbaria, where larvae and stagnant water were found. He expressed dissatisfaction and ordered immediate legal action and larvicide spraying. DSCC stated that mosquito control operations will continue alongside the survey.

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking Tk 20 million in compensation for the families of 352 children who died from measles. The petition was submitted on Sunday, May 10, 2026, by Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab as a public interest litigation. The health secretary and other relevant authorities have been named as respondents in the case.

According to Barrister Pallab, ensuring the health protection of children is a constitutional duty of the state. He stated that the large number of child deaths in such a short period indicates a severe public health crisis and possible negligence by the authorities. The petition also calls for an investigation into the actual causes of the deaths.

The High Court is expected to review the petition and determine whether compensation and further inquiry will be ordered.

United Healthcare Services Limited has reached a major milestone in health research by officially launching its first Institutional Ethical Review Board (IERB) on May 5, 2026. The initiative aims to strengthen research activities among physicians, clinicians, and healthcare professionals at United Medical College Hospital, the company’s flagship facility. The inauguration ceremony was attended by United Group Chairman and Managing Director Moinuddin Hasan Rashid as chief guest, along with other senior officials and medical leaders.

Dr. Azharul Islam Khan, Director of Medical Services at United Healthcare, was appointed as the chief advisor to the IERB, with Professor Dr. Khondker Abu Talha serving as chairman and Professor Dr. Mahbubur Rahman as member-secretary. The board includes both local and international experts from diverse medical and academic backgrounds. During the event, three research proposals were submitted for ethical review and approval.

Through the establishment of the IERB, United Healthcare reaffirmed its commitment to promoting innovative clinical research, enhancing academic collaboration, and contributing to improved healthcare standards in Bangladesh.

More than one hundred students at Dhaka University’s Kuwait Maitree Hall have fallen ill over the past three days with symptoms of waterborne diseases, reportedly after consuming contaminated water. The affected students have experienced diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, prompting the university administration to set up a medical camp to manage the situation. According to the chief medical officer of the university’s Shaheed Dr. Murtaza Medical Center, at least 60 students sought treatment on Thursday and Friday, and over a hundred have been affected in total.

Students reported a strong smell of bleaching powder in the hall’s water after the cleaning of water tanks, which caused nausea and discomfort. Some also blamed both the canteen food and water, though many who avoided canteen meals still fell ill, suggesting water contamination as the main cause. Dissatisfaction was expressed over the quality of medical care, with claims that doctors issued group prescriptions instead of individual diagnoses.

Hall provost Professor Dr. Mahbuba Sultana denied allegations of negligence, stating that the water reservoirs were professionally cleaned and filters rechecked, with preliminary tests showing no contamination. She said the situation is now under control, while students continue to demand full publication of water test results and permanent solutions.

The United States is arranging a special evacuation flight to bring home American citizens aboard a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak. The vessel, MV Hondius, is currently heading toward Spain’s Canary Islands and is expected to arrive in Tenerife on Sunday, according to AFP. A spokesperson for the US State Department said the government is coordinating with Spanish authorities and other federal agencies to ensure the safe repatriation of the passengers.

The ship’s operator reported that 17 US citizens are on board, though the State Department has not confirmed the number. Three people—a Dutch couple and a German woman—have died, and several others have been infected with Andes virus, the only hantavirus known to spread between humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that the repatriated passengers will first be taken to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, before being transferred to the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

CDC and Nebraska Medicine said the risk to the US public remains very low, and those under observation are currently healthy and symptom-free.

President Md. Shahabuddin left Dhaka for London on the morning of May 9, 2026, to undergo follow-up medical treatment and health examinations. His flight, Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ regular commercial service BG-201, departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 7:45 a.m. Senior officials, including the Law Minister Md. Anisul Huq, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Yusuf S.Y. Ramadan, and British High Commissioner Sarah Cook, were present at the airport to see him off.

The President is accompanied by members of his family, his medical team, a staff nurse, and officials from Bangabhaban. According to the report, Shahabuddin had previously undergone cardiac bypass surgery in Singapore in October 2023. Following medical advice, he will now complete necessary health tests at a specialized hospital in the United Kingdom.

The President is expected to return to Bangladesh on May 18, 2026, after the completion of his medical procedures.

President Md. Shahabuddin is scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom on Saturday for a medical check-up. According to the President’s Press Wing, the visit follows medical advice for a follow-up examination after a previous surgery. The health tests will be conducted at a specialized hospital in Cambridge. The President will depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines bound for London.

He will be accompanied by his wife Dr. Rebecca Sultana, family members, his physician, and officials from Bangabhaban. The President is expected to return to Bangladesh on May 18 on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight after completing his medical examinations.

The report also notes that President Shahabuddin underwent cardiac bypass surgery in Singapore on October 18, 2023, which this visit is intended to follow up on.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain has emphasized the importance of knowing whether individuals are thalassemia carriers before marriage. Speaking on Friday at a seminar organized by the Bangladesh Thalassemia Foundation Hospital in Malibagh, Dhaka, to mark World Thalassemia Day, he said that thalassemia is a congenital blood disorder that only affects children when both parents are carriers.

The minister stated that the government is committed to ensuring healthcare for all under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He noted that one in nine people in Bangladesh carries the thalassemia gene, and around 8,000 children are born with the disease each year. He called for increased awareness through print and electronic media to prevent thalassemia and urged media outlets to create and broadcast educational content on the issue.

Before the seminar, the minister visited various wards of the hospital’s daycare unit, spoke with patients, and inquired about their treatment services.

Azharul Islam Mannan, Member of Parliament for Narayanganj-3 (Sonargaon-Siddhirganj), donated 600 doses of rabies vaccine to Sonargaon Government Hospital on Thursday. The initiative aims to ensure medical services for the general public and ease the suffering of poor patients. The donation event took place in the presence of Narayanganj Civil Surgeon Dr. Abul Fazal Muhammad Mushiur Rahman, Sonargaon Upazila Nirbahi Officer Asif Al Jinat, and several health officials.

During the event, MP Mannan stated that rabies is a deadly disease and that timely vaccination is crucial to saving lives. He emphasized that no patient should face life-threatening risks due to a lack of vaccines. The initiative reflects an effort to strengthen local healthcare support and prevent vaccine shortages in the area.

The presence of local health administrators and representatives highlighted the collaborative approach to improving public health services in Sonargaon.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has accused Israel of deliberately restricting food and aid supplies to Gaza, creating what it calls a 'man-made malnutrition crisis.' The organization said that children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers are suffering the most severe consequences of this situation.

In a recently released report, MSF also questioned the operations of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S. and Israel-backed organization established last year to replace the United Nations’ relief distribution system in Gaza. According to MSF, this change has caused significant disruption in aid delivery.

Based on an analysis conducted between late 2024 and early 2026 at four health centers in Gaza, MSF reported alarming increases in infant mortality, premature births, and miscarriages among malnourished mothers. MSF’s emergency medical representative, Mars Rokaspana, stated that the crisis was entirely artificially created, blaming deliberate obstruction of humanitarian assistance for the worsening conditions.

At the Infectious Disease Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka, patients suffering from measles, pneumonia, chickenpox, and other contagious illnesses are being treated in the same wards, creating serious health risks. A field visit on Wednesday revealed that many patients, including children, are receiving treatment on floors and balconies due to a severe shortage of beds. The hospital, which has 100 beds with only 15 allocated for measles patients, currently accommodates 51 children with confirmed measles. Since January, 1,598 suspected measles cases have been admitted, with 286 confirmed and 36 child deaths reported.

Doctors and nurses said the hospital is admitting twice its capacity daily, forcing mixed treatment of patients with different infectious diseases. The unhygienic environment, including unclean toilets, scattered waste, and mosquito infestations, is worsening the situation. A doctor noted that without a separate measles unit, infection control is nearly impossible. Hospital authorities acknowledged the overcrowding and poor sanitation, citing surrounding slum areas as a challenge.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, 56 confirmed measles deaths and 268 deaths with measles symptoms have occurred nationwide since March 15, bringing the total to 324 in 52 days.

A new shipment containing ten types of vaccines, including measles, rubella, and oral polio, has arrived in Bangladesh. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain personally received the consignment at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Wednesday around 11:45 a.m. The shipment also includes BCG, pentavalent, PCV, and typhoid vaccines.

Following the arrival, the minister stated that 1.5 million doses of the measles vaccine had reached the country and assured that there would be no future vaccine shortages. He added that the government managed to bring the vaccines within just 24 days, calling it a historic achievement. By May 10, an additional 10 types of vaccines totaling 10.8 million doses are expected to arrive in the country.

The arrival of this shipment marks a significant step in strengthening Bangladesh’s immunization program and ensuring vaccine availability nationwide.

Experts have called for coordinated scientific measures, stronger research, and enhanced national preparedness to address the recent measles outbreak in Bangladesh. The appeal was made on Tuesday morning at a seminar jointly organized by the Bangladesh Society of Microbiologists (BSM) and Jahangirnagar University’s Department of Microbiology, held at the university’s Senate Hall.

Speakers at the event noted a concerning rise in measles infections and child mortality, emphasizing the need for improved laboratory surveillance, treatment management, public awareness, and vaccination coverage. They highlighted the importance of molecular surveillance, rapid diagnosis, and community-level risk communication. The seminar featured Dr. Firdausi Qadri, Dr. Khondkar Mahbuba Jamil, and Dr. Sanjoy Kumar Dey, who stressed collaboration among physicians, microbiologists, public health experts, epidemiologists, and policymakers.

Participants also underscored the need to strengthen vaccine security and self-reliance, noting that while UNICEF, WHO, and Gavi support immunization programs, Bangladesh must develop its own vaccine research, production, and distribution capacity to ensure long-term resilience.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, inaugurated a new 50-bed intensive care unit (ICU) at Kurmitola General Hospital on Tuesday morning. The event marked the formal opening of the expanded ICU facilities aimed at strengthening critical care capacity in the hospital.

Alongside the ICU unit, the hospital has also established a pathology pavilion and a gastro-liver center. According to the source, the initiative seeks to ensure equitable access to healthcare and deliver modern medical services to the general public. It is part of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s election pledge for the Dhaka-17 constituency.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Health and Family Welfare Minister Sakhawat Hossain, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan, as well as the hospital’s director, doctors, and staff members.