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.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman announced that the government will investigate why measles vaccines were not administered during the interim government period. He made the statement on Tuesday at the Secretariat during a weekly briefing in response to reporters’ questions. The investigation aims to determine whether any negligence by the interim administration contributed to the deaths of over three hundred children showing measles symptoms.

Rahman stated that 16.1 million children aged six months to under five years have received the vaccine, reaching 89 percent of the target, and full coverage is expected within days. He added that health departments have begun preparations to combat dengue outbreaks. This week, 2.2 million additional mixing syringes arrived in the country with support from UNICEF and Gavi for the ongoing measles-rubella vaccination campaign.

He also discussed government initiatives to improve public transport management in Dhaka, including plans for electric buses and the introduction of an ETC system on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.

A free health care camp was inaugurated at Hafiz Ibrahim College in Borhanuddin, Bhola, with the goal of bringing modern medical services to marginalized and underprivileged communities. The event took place on Monday and was inaugurated by Alhaj Hafiz Ibrahim, the Member of Parliament for Bhola-2. He emphasized the importance of such initiatives in ensuring access to healthcare for rural people and pledged to continue similar programs in the future, including efforts to bring renowned doctors to provide free treatment locally.

Acting Principal Zakaria Azam of Hafiz Ibrahim College welcomed the initiative, describing it as a vital humanitarian effort to support disadvantaged groups. He expressed hope that such activities would continue in the coming years. On the opening day, around 2,600 underprivileged individuals received free medical services from 10 to 12 experienced doctors. Additionally, more than 1,000 poor patients received free medicines distributed by the organizers.

The day-long camp was organized by Square Pharmaceuticals as part of its outreach to provide essential healthcare to rural communities.

NCC Bank recently organized a mental health awareness workshop titled “Mind Matters: Workplace Mental Health Talk for Women” for its female employees at the bank’s head office. The session aimed to promote an inclusive and healthy work environment. The workshop was conducted by Dr. Nasim Jahan, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry at BIRDEM General Hospital and Ibrahim Medical College.

Dr. Jahan delivered an informative presentation on key aspects of workplace mental health, including stress management, emotional resilience, and work-life balance. Participants were also introduced to internationally recognized assessment tools such as the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), which help individuals identify and manage early signs of stress, anxiety, and depression.

The event was moderated by Nighat Momtaz, Executive Vice President and Head of Sustainable and Women’s Banking at NCC Bank. A total of 142 female officers attended in person, while others from branches across the country joined digitally. Participants described the initiative as timely and necessary in today’s evolving work environment.

Nurul Islam, the Member of Parliament for Bhola-4, has initiated steps to bring the 20-bed Saudi Hospital in Dakshin Aicha, Charfassion, under the government revenue sector. On April 30, he submitted an application to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare requesting the hospital’s inclusion in the revenue budget to ensure its full operation.

According to the application, the hospital was built in 1998 with funding from the Saudi government to provide healthcare to residents of the remote area. Despite having a modern building and equipment, the facility has remained largely non-functional for 26 years due to shortages of staff and medicine. As a result, local residents must travel about 30 kilometers to the upazila headquarters for treatment, which is both difficult and costly. Locals have long demanded that the hospital be brought under the revenue sector and staffed adequately.

Helal Uddin Tipu, a member of the district BNP convening committee, expressed optimism that the authorities would act promptly to implement this public-interest initiative.