A report by Amar Desh said at least 537 people lost vision after gunshot injuries over 20 days from July 17 to August 5, 2024, during the July unrest in Bangladesh. Citing the July Martyrs Memorial Foundation and the National Institute of Ophthalmology Hospital, it said 44 people lost sight in both eyes and 493 permanently lost vision in one eye. The report attributed the shootings to the police force of the then government.

Among the 44 people who lost vision in both eyes were 13 students, five businesspeople, four drivers, four employees, two workers and one homemaker; the occupations of 15 were not known. Retina department assistant professor Dr Zakia Sultana Neela testified at International Crimes Tribunal-1 last August that 864 people with eye gunshot injuries had been admitted to the hospital during the movement.

Injured people including Sabbir Ahmad, Durjoy Ahmed, Mizanur Rahman and Nilu Parvin described difficulties with treatment, mobility and supporting their families. They said state allowances were insufficient and alleged shortcomings in rehabilitation and official recognition. They called for implementation of the July Charter, employment opportunities, rehabilitation and appropriate state recognition. Foundation chief executive Kamal Akbar said many injured people still endure pain from pellets lodged in their eyes.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Shakhawat Hossain ordered a hospital to reimburse a dog-bite patient 1,030 taka after finding she had bought a rabies vaccine privately despite government supplies being available. During an unannounced visit to Gobindaganj উপজেলা Health Complex in Gaibandha on Sunday morning, the minister learned that the woman had not received the government vaccine at the facility.

He questioned hospital superintendent Dr. Hedayetul Islam over why the vaccine had not been provided despite its availability. After receiving no satisfactory explanation, the minister expressed dissatisfaction and directed the hospital authorities to repay the patient’s vaccine expense. Administrative and health department officials were present during the inspection.

Later, Hossain made another surprise visit to Gaibandha General Hospital, inspecting its emergency department, general wards and central medicine store without advance notice or special protocol. He criticized the hospital’s deteriorated environment, service quality and overall management, and ordered officials to quickly identify and impose exemplary punishment on those involved in irregularities or negligence. He said administrative and legal action would be taken against staff neglecting their duties.

Dr SM Moniruzzaman Shahin, the newly appointed civil surgeon of Barishal and a Swachip leader, has been transferred to the Directorate General of Health Services following student protests, according to a report published on August 2. A Health and Family Welfare Ministry notification instructed him to join his transferred workplace by August 3 or face immediate release from his current post.

The transfer order reached Barishal on Sunday afternoon, and the report said protesters expressed relief. Students from various educational institutions began demonstrations against the appointment on Sunday morning under the banner of conscious citizens, students and the general public of Barishal. They locked a room at the district civil surgeon’s office and staged a sit-in, leaving the office at a standstill.

Protesters alleged that a controversial and punished official had been assigned as civil surgeon. The report cited allegations against Moniruzzaman of using political influence, irregularities in duties and examinations, and misuse of administrative authority while serving at Gournadi উপজেলা Health Complex. He had been posted as Barishal civil surgeon under a July 21 notification. Local BNP leaders were also reported to have expressed anger over the appointment.

State Minister for Health Dr. M A Muhit said restoring public confidence is the government’s main goal as it regularly monitors quality at hospitals and clinics. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon as chief guest at a policy seminar organised by the Bangladesh Accreditation Board at the Bangladesh Institute of Management. He said the health sector cannot advance through hospitals and doctors alone.

Muhit called for attention to preventing food adulteration, ensuring accurate diagnosis and expanding preventive healthcare. He said cancers and serious kidney and liver diseases cannot be reduced without action in those areas. Bangladesh has more than 10,000 laboratories, but only a handful have international-standard accreditation, he said.

The minister said laboratory owners and boards should first be made aware rather than immediately subjected to coercion or strict legal measures. If owners understand that maintaining quality builds public trust and improves business prospects, they will seek accreditation themselves, he said. More internationally accredited laboratories could reduce repeated tests, time and extra costs for patients travelling abroad for treatment, while also saving foreign currency.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said he expects formal student admissions at Thakurgaon Medical College to begin from 2027. He said the main work to establish the proposed medical college would start very soon. Fakhrul made the remarks on Sunday morning while inaugurating an eye camp supported by the Nepal government at Thakurgaon Diabetic and Health Care Hospital.

The minister said the government is working to bring modern healthcare to the doorsteps of ordinary and marginalised people across every region. He said establishing the medical college would facilitate the training of skilled doctors locally, create new employment opportunities in the health sector and expand access to medical services for people in the area. He also expressed hope that it would help ensure better treatment and reduce patients’ dependence on Dhaka.

Fakhrul said Thakurgaon’s 250-bed general hospital has already been upgraded to 600 beds to improve local healthcare standards. He said the eye camp was arranged through bilateral discussions with Nepal’s government to provide improved examination and treatment for eye patients. Authorities will discuss and decide how to gradually expand such eye camps to every upazila in the district.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said Bangladesh will gradually expand the school meal programme to all government primary schools to ensure nutritious food for every primary student. He made the announcement on Sunday at his office in the Secretariat during a courtesy meeting with World Food Programme Bangladesh Country Director and Resident Representative Koko Ushiyama.

The meeting covered programme expansion, nutritious food provision, the possibility of piloting cooked hot meals, effective monitoring and stronger digital management. Hajjaj said transparency, accountability and technology-based monitoring are crucial for successful implementation. He also stressed separate needs-based planning that accounts for differences between urban and rural areas, geographical diversity and socioeconomic conditions. Participants discussed India’s school meal experience and its relevance to Bangladesh’s social and cultural context.

Ushiyama said school meals support nutrition while helping improve attendance, prevent dropout, enhance education quality and build healthy eating habits. She noted that WFP has achieved positive results in various countries by linking school meals with school gardens, nutrition education and local agricultural systems. The two sides also discussed WFP technical support to improve the Directorate of Primary Education’s existing integrated primary education information system and develop a future integrated information system.

Cancer patients in Bangladesh are facing limited treatment capacity, equipment shortages, specialist gaps and high costs, leaving thousands without timely care, a report published on August 2, 2026 said. About 200,000 new cases are detected annually, while the country has an estimated 1.3 million to 1.5 million cancer patients and roughly 150,000 cancer deaths each year. Delayed diagnosis, concentration of services in Dhaka and unaffordable private treatment add to the pressure on patients and families.

Nine government medical college hospitals providing cancer care have only 12 radiotherapy machines, with several out of service. At the country’s only full-fledged government cancer hospital, five of six radiotherapy machines were reported broken. Bangladesh has 12 PET-CT centres across public and private sectors. The health directorate lists about 300 radiation oncologists, 100 gynaecological and surgical oncology specialists, 50 medical oncologists and about 200 nuclear medicine specialists.

Treatment can cost Tk700,000 to Tk1.2 million in government hospitals and more than Tk2 million privately, the report said. It cited findings that 80 percent of patients fail to complete needed treatment because of financial hardship. The government has moved to accelerate construction of eight cancer hospitals in eight divisions and plans to recruit doctors and 100,000 health workers. Experts called for a national cancer registry, early screening and decentralised care.

Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is strengthening health measures to protect nearby communities and endangered mountain gorillas as Ebola cases continue to emerge. The park launched an initial six-month emergency response after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak in the DRC and neighbouring Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in May.

The park has set up six health checkpoints within and around its 300km protected forest area and deployed 40 paramedics with 80 rangers. Road checkpoints provide handwashing, temperature screening and first-level isolation centres. In Ituri province, checkpoints north and south of Bunia screen travellers from Ebola-affected areas, while the park has supplied health services with protective equipment, body bags, thermometers and vehicles.

Officials said two suspected cases were detected at checkpoints and referred to public health authorities for monitoring. Data collected there is sent to the Congolese National Institute of Public Health. Conservation teams are also monitoring gorilla health and screening visitors, as mountain gorillas are susceptible to human infectious diseases. No mountain gorilla has been infected with Ebola in Virunga or elsewhere in the DRC, according to veterinarian Eddy Syaluha.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain warned hospital staff in Bhedarganj, Shariatpur, of strict action over irregular work after inspecting the Upazila Health Complex on Saturday afternoon. Speaking at an exchange meeting in the hospital conference room, he said no one would be able to live in the country if the government failed. He said termination or suspension would be used against staff who continued to work irregularly.

The meeting was chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abu Bakar Siddik and attended by Civil Surgeon Dr. Md. Rehan Uddin, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Abu Naim Mohammad Iftekharul Islam, and local BNP leaders. The minister visited every ward, heard patients’ problems, and inspected the kitchen, toilets, storeroom and operating theatre.

He later inspected two private clinics and diagnostic centres in front of the hospital. Modern Diagnostic Center and Clinic was sealed for lacking licences and required documents, as well as normal delivery services. Popular Diagnostic and Clinic Center was ordered closed and given seven days to submit documents, or face sealing. The minister also assured that the old damaged hospital building would be removed quickly and caesarean operations would resume.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain conducted a surprise inspection of hospitals in Bhedarganj upazila of Shariatpur on Saturday afternoon. He visited the Upazila Health Complex and several private clinics, taking immediate action over irregularities. Modern Clinic and Diagnostic Centre and New Popular Diagnostic Centre and Clinic were temporarily closed because they lacked required documents.

Two doctors were issued show-cause notices over allegations that they provided services at private clinics during government office hours. The minister toured service departments at the health complex, spoke with admitted and outpatient patients about the quality of care, and inspected the quality of food supplied to patients. He later exchanged views with doctors, nurses and other staff and gave directions aimed at improving health services.

During the inspection, the minister warned officials to ensure proper departmental operations, treatment services, cleanliness and a patient-friendly environment. He said there would be no leniency toward irregularities or negligence and that quality healthcare for the public must be ensured. He also said the government plans to establish cancer, physiotherapy and kidney dialysis units in every upazila, and to build one children’s hospital in every district.

Public health specialists and physicians in Bangladesh have urged people to focus on dengue awareness rather than anxiety, calling for action to stop Aedes mosquito breeding, prevent bites and seek medical care when fever develops. In government figures through July 28 this year, dengue caused 47 deaths and led to 14,156 hospital admissions, while 17,009 patients recovered.

Experts said there is no dengue vaccine or specifically effective medicine, making public awareness, active community participation and clean surroundings essential. They identified standing water inside and outside homes, on rooftops and in other locations as mosquito breeding sites. Usable containers including flowerpots, drums, buckets and water trays beneath air conditioners and refrigerators should not hold water for more than five consecutive days.

Public health expert Dr Mushtaq Hossain said dengue prevention must begin in homes, schools, workplaces and local communities, alongside rapid patient identification and protection for vulnerable people. Dhaka Medical College Hospital physician Dr Hasan Hafizur Rahman said fever can reach 102 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. He advised cooling measures, paracetamol according to fever intensity every six to eight hours, and adequate fluids including water, fruit juice, soup, oral saline, coconut water and sherbet.

Dr Abu Ali Sina, a researcher from Chandpur, has received Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant at Emerging Leadership Level 2. The grant, valued at about A$1.6 million, will fund cancer detection research at the Sina Lab under his leadership. Results were released by the NHMRC recently, according to information published on August 1, 2026. Sina is based in Brisbane with his family and leads the Sina Lab at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

The NHMRC awards the funding on the basis of significant research contributions, strong research leadership and clear plans for future work. The new funding will support efforts to identify next-generation blood-based biomarkers, develop nanotechnology-based diagnostic platforms and create technologies for detecting cancer at an early stage.

Sina said the achievement reflected the combined efforts and long-term support of his students, colleagues, research collaborators, mentors and family. The Sina Lab said former PhD researcher Dr Tanvir Ahmed’s work played an important role in establishing the scientific basis for the newly funded project. It added that the grant would expand research activity, create opportunities for students and researchers, and accelerate the translation of laboratory findings into practical medical technology.

A recent Imperial College London study has found a rapid increase in type 2 diabetes among women aged 20 to 29 in England. Researchers analysed National Health Service data and said rising obesity after the Covid-19 pandemic has played an important role in the disease’s spread. Rates among older adults were stable or, in some cases, slightly lower.

Lead researcher Dr Shivani Misra said severe obesity has significantly lowered the average age at which people develop type 2 diabetes. The condition was once more common in certain ethnic minority communities, but its prevalence is now also rising quickly among white people, creating a new public health challenge. Diabetes UK said diagnosis at a younger age can have a more aggressive effect on the body and raise risks of organ damage and premature death.

About 6 million people in the United Kingdom currently have diabetes, with roughly 90 percent living with type 2 diabetes. Nearly 12,000 people under 30 have the condition, many of them young women. NHS figures from 2019 to 2025 show obesity rose 16 percent among people aged 20 to 29 and nearly 20 percent among those aged 30 to 39. Experts urged medical advice for fatigue, frequent urination or excessive thirst.

Patients in Chattogram are paying two to 12 times more for diagnostic tests at private hospitals and centres than at government facilities, according to a report published on August 1. The report cites weak oversight, referral business, opaque pricing and the lack of visible price lists as factors increasing costs for patients. Chattogram Medical College Hospital offers about 35 tests at government-set fees, but limited capacity and long queues often push patients toward private providers.

At the medical college hospital, a CBC test costs Tk200 compared with Tk500 to Tk600 privately, while creatinine costs Tk50 compared with Tk300 to Tk400. Troponin-I costs Tk200 to Tk250 at the hospital but up to about Tk1,200 at private laboratories. Colonoscopy costs about Tk1,200 there, compared with Tk5,000 to Tk10,000 in private hospitals. Private laboratory owners said higher operating costs, equipment, infrastructure, specialist availability and faster service contribute to higher prices.

The civil surgeon said Chattogram metropolitan area has 175 registered diagnostic centres and 92 hospitals, while registered facilities in upazilas include 216 diagnostic centres and 78 hospitals. Health officials said registered institutions are regularly monitored and complaints of irregularities or excessive fees can lead to investigation and legal action. Officials also said the government has set prices for several important private laboratory tests and plans to set more fees gradually.

Russian scientists reported promising initial results from the first use of Neoncovac, a personalized mRNA vaccine developed to treat melanoma skin cancer. The first experimental recipient developed the intended immune response and is currently well, according to a report published on July 31, 2026. The vaccine was first administered in April at Moscow’s Herzen Oncology Research Institute to a 60-year-old man with stage-three melanoma and metastases.

Alexander Ginzburg, scientific director of the Gamaleya National Research Institute, said the vaccine activated immune mechanisms needed to fight the tumour. The patient’s physical condition remains normal and treatment is continuing. Doctors plan to administer two further doses while closely monitoring the effectiveness of the patient’s immune system throughout the treatment.

The approach uses genetic analysis of samples from a patient’s tumour and healthy tissue to create an individual vaccine intended to target cancer cells. Ginzburg said vaccines are being prepared for 10 more patients and may be ready for use within one and a half to three months. Russia’s Health Ministry approved two personalized cancer-treatment technologies last year, including Neoncovac and the peptide-based colorectal cancer drug Oncopepti.