Bangladesh Army’s Bandarban Army Zone has moved to support patients receiving treatment amid a measles outbreak in Bandarban. Zone Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Humayun Rashid, psc, visited Bandarban Sadar Hospital at 12:30 pm on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. He checked on measles patients in different hospital wards and asked about their physical condition.

During the visit, the commander spoke with patients’ relatives to learn about treatment-related matters. He also met duty doctors and hospital authorities. He issued necessary guidance to help ensure more effective overall treatment services for patients and assured them of all types of assistance from the army.

The commander said patients requiring advanced or specialised treatment would receive necessary medical support through the Bandarban Army Zone’s Main Dressing Station, or MDS. Army ambulances will remain ready around the clock for emergency patient transfers. He said the army would coordinate with the local administration and health department to provide needed support for public medical services. After the visit, he wished all patients a speedy and full recovery.

The Trump administration is preparing to end federal subsidies for prescription drug insurance plans under Medicare for US residents aged 65 and older, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, according to AFP from New York. The reported change would take effect in December this year and could significantly raise prescription drug costs for about 25 million older Americans.

Citing unnamed administration officials, the newspaper said the federal government had provided $3.6 billion in subsidies to prevent Medicare insurance premiums from rising. KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization, said the average monthly premium for a subsidized plan is about $36. Prescription drug costs are an important issue for many retirees and people on fixed incomes, and the decision could become a political issue before the US midterm elections in November.

People currently enrolled in subsidized plans will learn their new premium rates in the fall. An administration official told the Journal that premiums for about one-quarter of affected customers would fall or remain unchanged in 2027. Another 30% would see monthly increases of less than $10, while the remaining 45% would face monthly increases of $11 to $20.

Patients at Goalanda উপজেলা Health Complex in Rajbari are facing disrupted care after its X-ray machine remained out of service for about a year and a half. The 50-bed facility receives an average of more than 400 patients daily, hospital sources said. The machine has been completely unusable since March 25 last year.

The Japanese-made Ekoma-100 analog X-ray machine was installed in 1985. Although it initially operated, it later suffered repeated mechanical faults and was kept running through repairs. The medical technologist (radiology) post has also been vacant since the same period, leaving X-ray services closed.

Patients needing tests advised by doctors must visit private clinics and diagnostic centres, resulting in added expense and hardship, according to affected patients. Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Maruf Hasan said the complex has no modern digital X-ray machine, while the older unit is unusable. He said higher authorities have been informed and efforts are underway to take necessary action.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr A Z M Zahid Hossain said Bangladesh must acquire modern technology and international expertise to advance its healthcare system. Speaking as chief guest at a World Hepatitis Day event organised by the Bangladesh Gastroenterology Society at Bangladesh Medical University on July 28, he said improved hepatitis B treatment at home could reduce patients’ need to seek care abroad, lower medical costs and save foreign currency.

The minister said a significant share of Bangladesh’s population has fatty liver disease without knowing it. He attributed the growing number of cases to excessive carbohydrate consumption and called for greater public awareness. Referring to the appointment of Imperial College London emeritus hepatology professor Simon Taylor Robinson to BMU’s hepatology department, he said involving foreign and regional experts would help improve medical education through evaluation against international and regional standards.

Members of the Bangladesh Gastroenterology Society called for mandatory hepatitis B screening for all pregnant women. Hossain described the proposal as timely and pledged his highest possible support from his position for its implementation. Robinson presented the keynote paper at the event, chaired by Professor Dr Md Shamsul Arfin.

Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, or BSTI, has announced plans to verify reported microplastics in toothpaste and take action based on the findings. The agency made the announcement in a Tuesday press release after research conducted by Environment and Social Development Organization reported the presence of microplastics in toothpaste. The report was published on July 28, 2026.

BSTI said microplastics are plastic particles measuring 5 millimetres or less and are generally not visible to the naked eye. It cited the World Health Organization’s view that microplastics are an emerging environmental and health concern whose health risks remain under research. Bangladesh’s toothpaste standard lists 81 permitted production ingredients, and microplastics are not listed, although the standard has no direct prohibition on their use.

The agency has sought full research data and testing methods from the research institution and is collecting information on raw materials, ingredients and synthetic polymers from manufacturers and importers. BSTI will collect samples from markets and factories for retesting at recognised domestic or foreign laboratories. It said legal action will follow if tests prove a product fails Bangladesh standards or uses unauthorised ingredients.

Dhaka South City Corporation administrator and freedom fighter Abdus Salam donated two fogger machines to Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall and Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall at Dhaka University. The machines were handed over to the authorities of the two women’s residential halls at a programme held at 4pm on July 28, with support from the Dhaka University unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal.

The donation was aimed at protecting resident students’ health and preventing mosquito-borne diseases. Chhatra Dal leaders said waterlogging and mosquito infestations had recently increased in several parts of the university campus, causing difficulties for residential students. They said the rainy season had heightened concerns over dengue and other mosquito-borne illnesses, making preventive measures necessary.

Salam said plans had been taken for a permanent, long-term solution to waterlogging in residential halls and nearby areas, stressing the need for sustainable infrastructure. He also announced that 500 saplings would be given to the Dhaka University Chhatra Dal unit to encourage tree planting and campus greening. Hall provosts, residential teachers, students and Chhatra Dal leaders attended the event.

The Bangladesh Ambulance Owners Welfare Association has called an indefinite nationwide ambulance strike from Wednesday morning, July 29, over five demands. General Secretary Badal Madbar confirmed the announcement to Amar Desh on Tuesday, saying the stoppage would begin at 6am across the country.

The demands include implementation of a commercial policy concerning ambulances and parking facilities for ambulances at every government hospital. The association also seeks toll-free arrangements for ambulances in line with a High Court verdict.

Other demands include toll-free facilities for freezer vans carrying bodies and ambulances transporting bodies, as well as ensuring round-the-clock fuel supplies for ambulances. Association leaders said they were compelled to pursue an indefinite nationwide strike because no effective initiative had been taken to implement the demands.

Ad-din Medical College Hospital in Moghbazar, Dhaka, resumed full medical services from 8am Tuesday after being closed for about one and a half months. The Health Ministry returned the hospital’s licence and permitted services to restart on Monday afternoon. Outpatient, inpatient, emergency and other necessary services are now operating again.

Between 8am and 4pm, the outpatient department served 607 patients, while 56 new patients were admitted. Eight pregnant patients delivered by Caesarean section and three had normal deliveries. Medical students and patients expressed satisfaction over the reopening. Foreign intern doctor Ilyas Mansur said the restart would allow interns to complete their internships through patient care.

Executive Director Professor Dr Jamalunnesa said infrastructure renovations were completed under government instructions, including ventilation, light and oxygen arrangements in every ward, alongside staff training. The hospital said it remains committed to providing quality treatment at low cost. It offers ICU, NICU, CCU and dialysis services using infection-prevention methods, and operates ambulance services in Dhaka for Tk380.

Johnson & Johnson has proposed a $5.5 billion settlement to resolve thousands of US lawsuits alleging that its talc powder caused ovarian cancer. The pharmaceutical company made the formal announcement on Monday, according to a report published July 28. If implemented, the agreement would resolve about 69,000 pending cases in US federal and state courts.

The company said those cases represent roughly 99.75 percent of outstanding talc-related litigation in the United States. The settlement must receive approval from at least 95 percent of plaintiffs who filed cases in state or federal courts before it can be finalized. In 2024, the World Health Organization added talc to its list of substances that may cause cancer in humans.

Johnson & Johnson has maintained that there is no scientific evidence that talc causes cancer. It nevertheless stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the United States in 2020 and globally in 2023. Lawyers representing plaintiffs welcomed the proposed deal after a decade of legal battles. The agreement does not apply to UK claims, where more than 7,000 potential plaintiffs are awaiting proceedings in a High Court case filed in October 2025.

Bangladesh’s High Court has ordered an investigation into reports that 26 toothpastes sold in the domestic market contain “harmful” microplastics. On Tuesday afternoon, a High Court bench comprising Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury and Justice Md Ziaul Hoque ordered the formation of a three-member expert committee to conduct the inquiry.

The court directed the committee to submit its investigation report within 15 days. Supreme Court lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun had earlier filed a writ petition over the matter, leading to the court’s order for an investigation.

On July 26, SDO presented a research report at its headquarters in Lalmatia, Dhaka, covering 34 toothpastes from 19 brands sold in the country’s market. The organization conducted the nationwide integrated study from July 2025 through June 2026.

The government says it will act in the public interest over the presence of microplastics in most toothpaste products used in the country. Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman made the statement on Tuesday at the government’s regular press conference in the Information Department conference room at the Secretariat, responding to a question about whether authorities would take action.

Rahman said the government considers public safety a serious matter, but described microplastics as a wider problem that extends beyond toothpaste. He said particles are being generated from different sources and spreading into food and water. He said a coordinated response is needed, arguing that action focused only on toothpaste or another single area would not be sufficient.

The adviser said relevant government agencies would take steps because microplastics had been found in such quantities. He also said public health awareness is increasing and the issue is being widely discussed on social media. Environmental and Social Development Organization, or ESDO, tested 34 toothpaste samples from 19 brands and found microplastics in 26 samples, or about 76.5 percent. Some toothpaste products marketed for children also contained the small plastic particles.

Doctors in Bangladesh have raised concern over hepatitis B and C infections that often remain symptomless and undetected until severe liver complications emerge. The report, published on July 28 for World Hepatitis Day, said many people do not know what hepatitis is, how infection occurs or what treatment is available. Siddiq Hossain, 42, of Savar said he learned he had hepatitis B after seeking care for health problems and later developed liver cirrhosis and other complications.

According to the National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh, 5.7 percent of the country’s adult population, or more than 10 million people, have chronic hepatitis B and C infections. About 23,000 people die annually from complications linked to the two viruses. The report said nine in 10 people do not know they are infected. Hepatitis A and E are generally food- and water-borne, while B and C can cause long-term liver damage, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Doctors said hepatitis B and C can spread through unsafe blood transfusions, used needles and syringes, contaminated blades and non-sterilized medical equipment. They urged safe blood transfusion, vaccination and greater awareness. Hepatitis C can be cured completely, while hepatitis B can be controlled over the long term, they said.

The World Health Organization said addressing smoking, air pollution, physical inactivity and other modifiable risk factors could prevent or delay dementia by up to 45 percent. In a notice published on July 18, the agency also released updated guidance on dementia prevention for health workers and policymakers.

WHO described dementia as the seventh leading cause of death globally and a major cause of disability and dependence among older people. More than 57 million people worldwide currently live with dementia, while nearly 10 million new cases occur each year. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, accounting for about 60 to 70 percent of cases.

The agency said there is no permanent cure for dementia, but risks can often be reduced by tackling smoking, excessive alcohol use, social isolation, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Cognitive stimulation activities and specialized training may help adults with mild mental and cognitive problems. WHO estimated dementia costs the global economy about $1.3 trillion annually, with nearly half linked to unpaid care provided by patients’ families and relatives.

Ad-din Medical College Hospital in Moghbazar, Dhaka, has received approval to resume medical services after remaining closed for 45 days following the deaths of six children. Hospital authorities said outpatient, inpatient and emergency services, along with all other medical care, will restart at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 28.

The announcement was issued on Monday in a notice signed by Tarikul Islam Mukul, director of the Company Affairs Department at Ad-din Foundation. Earlier that afternoon, a government notification signed by Health and Family Welfare Ministry Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury stated that the hospital’s licence had been reinstated.

In its notice, Ad-din authorities expressed gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to restart treatment services following the licence restoration. They also thanked the government, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, the Directorate General of Health Services, service recipients, politicians, physicians, professional organisations, lawyers, journalists, media workers, social media workers, well-wishers and other concerned parties. The authority additionally thanked people who had spoken in support of the hospital at different times.

A 60-year-old woman, Nurjahan Begum, has died after contracting dengue in Chattogram, where 457 new infections have been recorded in July. The information was released by the district civil surgeon’s office on July 27. Her death raises the district’s dengue death toll this year to three, while July has become the year’s highest monthly infection period.

Nurjahan Begum, a resident of the city’s Panchlaish area, was taken to the private Parkview Hospital on July 26 in critical condition and was declared dead by the attending doctor. Doctors said dengue and complications related to hypertension led to multi-organ dysfunction syndrome. From January 1 to July 27, Chattogram recorded 755 dengue cases, including 191 women, 439 men and 125 children.

Another 27 dengue patients were identified in the previous 24 hours. A total of 99 patients are receiving treatment at government and private hospitals across the district, including 77 in government facilities and 22 in private hospitals. Civil Surgeon Dr Jahangir Alam urged residents to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, keep homes and surrounding areas clean, and seek medical advice promptly if fever develops.