Nursing schools multiply, but quality is in question
Bangladesh has five times as many nursing institutes as in 2010, yet is short of over 2.5 lakh nurses, and many graduates lack the training hospitals need.
English edition
Health Desk, page 2
818 reports translated from the Bengali original, most recent first. বাংলা সংস্করণ
Major fire at drug factory in Tongi, 20 fire units at work
A fire broke out on the fourth floor of Drug International's Unit 2 factory in Tongi on Wednesday morning; two workers were hurt as staff rushed to get out.
Can you get a child's DNA tested on request in Bangladesh?
A dispute over a child seen on social media has raised the question of DNA tests. In Bangladesh they need a police case or a court order, officials say.
Six die with measles symptoms in a day; 1,213 new cases
Six people died with measles symptoms in the past 24 hours and 1,213 new suspected and confirmed cases were recorded, the health directorate said on Tuesday.
Dengue kills nine more in 24 hours; 1,954 in hospital
Nine more people died of dengue in the 24 hours to 8am on Tuesday and 1,954 were admitted to hospital, taking this year's deaths in Bangladesh to 316.
Dengue hospital admissions pass 100,000 this year; 307 dead
Dengue has killed 307 people and put 101,442 in hospital in Bangladesh this year, health directorate data showed on Monday; September was the worst month.
Measles deaths pass 1,164, with 1,421 new cases in a day
Two more people died with measles symptoms in the 24 hours to Monday and 1,421 new suspected and confirmed cases were recorded, the health directorate says.
Dengue kills four more in 24 hours, 2,167 in hospital
Four more people died of dengue in the 24 hours to Monday and 2,167 were admitted to hospital, taking this year's deaths in Bangladesh to 307.
Diet is linked to rheumatoid arthritis, Indian study finds
A study by India's ICMR and National Institute of Nutrition finds people with rheumatoid arthritis eat less varied and more inflammatory diets.
Government to recruit 25,000 midwives, health minister says
Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain told a meeting in Berlin the government will recruit 25,000 midwives and raise health spending to 5% of GDP.
Dengue deaths pass 300 as daily admissions hit year's high
Four more people died of dengue and 2,193 were admitted to hospital in 24 hours, the most in a day this year; deaths in 2026 have reached 303.
National roadmap planned to secure emergency drug supply
The government is to draw up a national roadmap for uninterrupted drug supply in emergencies and set minimum buffer stocks of the main medicines.
Seven more children die with measles symptoms
Seven more children died with measles symptoms in 24 hours and 1,273 new cases were recorded, taking deaths since 15 March to 1,162, officials say.
Measles outbreak continues as eight more die in 24 hours
Eight more people died with measles symptoms in 24 hours and 1,086 new cases were recorded, taking deaths since 15 March to 1,155, health officials say.
Green Voice and its drive for a greener Bangladesh
Green Voice, a volunteer youth environmental group founded in 2005, also runs Bohnishikha, a wing for women's and children's rights with seven areas of work.
What climbing stairs every day can do for your body
Taking the stairs in place of the lift can help the heart and lungs, leg strength, weight control and mood, studies suggest; who should take care.
Three more children die with measles symptoms
Three more children have died with measles symptoms in 24 hours and 1,349 new cases were recorded, taking deaths since 15 March to 1,147, officials say.
One more dengue death, 1,300 admitted to hospital in a day
One more person died of dengue and 1,300 were admitted to hospital in 24 hours, taking this year's deaths to 295 and cases to 95,451, officials say.
Four more children die with measles symptoms
Four more children have died with measles symptoms in 24 hours and 1,428 new cases were recorded, taking deaths since 15 March to 1,144, officials say.
Over 7.4 million in Bangladesh have serious eye problems
About 7.4 million people in Bangladesh have serious eye problems, mostly cataract, and many miss treatment for lack of local eye care, a seminar was told.
Five warning signs of thyroid cancer
A lump in the neck, a hoarse voice that does not clear, trouble swallowing and swollen lymph nodes are among the warning signs of thyroid cancer.
How dangerous is plague, and why is it in the news?
The death of a laboratory worker at a Siberian anti-plague institute has raised fears and rumours; Russian officials now say she died of pneumonia.
Dengue awareness camp held at Chandrima Udyan in Dhaka
Jamaat's Dhaka North mayoral candidate Mohammad Salim Uddin opened a dengue awareness camp at Chandrima Udyan on Thursday and urged oversight of state measures.
Teenager who came to Dhaka for coaching found dead in carton
Police say a 17-year-old from Tangail who came to Dhaka for admission coaching was killed for ransom and his body buried in a carton in Nilphamari.
Care for older people needs a change of outlook
By 2050 about a fifth of Bangladesh's people will be elderly, yet specialised geriatric care is scarce and the family model of care is breaking down.
What to do if you have dengue
The common signs of dengue, the danger signs that need hospital care, what to drink, which medicines to avoid and how to keep mosquitoes out of the home.
Keto diets and ‘detox’: fashion or science?
The keto diet has medical uses for some patients, but claims that it suits everyone, and that coffee enemas detox the body, lack clinical evidence.
Six more children die with measles symptoms
Six more children have died with measles symptoms in Bangladesh in 24 hours, taking deaths since 15 March to 1,140, the health directorate's report says.
Dengue kills eight more, 1,860 hospitalised in a day
Eight more people have died of dengue in Bangladesh in 24 hours and 1,860 patients have been admitted to hospital, the health directorate's update shows.
Nobel medicine prize 2026 goes to optogenetics pioneers
Karl Deisseroth of the US and Germany's Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in medicine for discoveries behind optogenetics.
Dengue kills 9 more in Bangladesh, 1,902 hospitalised
Nine people died of dengue across Bangladesh in the past 24 hours and 1,902 were admitted to hospital, the Directorate General of Health Services said.
Six more die of dengue as 2,089 are admitted
Six people died of dengue in the 24 hours to Sunday morning and 2,089 were admitted to hospital, taking this year's deaths to 262, the health directorate said.
423 killed on Bangladesh's roads in September, 14 a day
Road accidents killed 423 people and injured 674 in Bangladesh in September, an average of 14 deaths a day, according to the Road Safety Foundation.
UK nursing union cuts commercial ties with Teva
The Royal College of Nursing has ended its commercial partnership with Israeli drugmaker Teva, citing its military links and past corruption and bribery cases.
Six more dengue deaths as 1,608 are admitted to hospital
Six people died of dengue in Bangladesh in the 24 hours to Saturday morning and 1,608 were admitted to hospital, bringing this year's deaths to 256.
Eight more children die with measles symptoms
Eight children died with measles symptoms in Dhaka division in the 24 hours to Saturday morning, taking this year's measles-related deaths to 1,122.
Measles deaths rise to 1,114 as 1,242 more are infected
Four children died with measles or its symptoms in the 24 hours to Friday, all in Dhaka division, taking deaths since 15 March to 1,114, officials said.
Dengue deaths this year reach 250, with 82,761 cases
One more person died of dengue in Bangladesh in the 24 hours to Friday morning and 1,163 patients were admitted to hospital, the health directorate said.
Students padlock Nazrul University department in protest
Students at Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University locked the film and media studies department, confining teachers, to demand a new name and faculty.
US donates 500,000 dengue test kits to Bangladesh
The United States has given 500,000 dengue NS1 rapid test kits to Bangladesh through its STRIDES programme to help diagnose and manage the current outbreak.
Dengue kills four more, 1,978 hospitalised in 24 hours
Four more people died of dengue in 24 hours and 1,978 were hospitalised, taking this year's deaths to 249 and cases to 81,598, the DGHS says.
Every upazila health complex to get 150 beds, PM says
PM Tarique Rahman has announced that every upazila health complex will go from 50 to 150 beds so rural people need not travel to towns for treatment.
Four more die with measles symptoms in a day
Deaths from measles and its symptoms in Bangladesh since March 15 have reached 1,108, with 1,221 new suspected and 128 confirmed cases in the past 24 hours.
Dengue kills six more in 24 hours, toll reaches 245
Six more people died of dengue in 24 hours and 1,948 were hospitalised, taking this year's deaths to 245 and hospital admissions to 79,620, the DGHS says.
Does cracking your knuckles wear down your bones?
Cracking knuckles makes a sound from gas bubbles forming in joint fluid, not bones grinding, and there is no proven link to arthritis, a spine surgeon explains.
A lifetime of healthy lungs: a World Lung Day pledge
World Lung Day's 2026 theme, A Lifetime of Lung Health, is a reminder that lung care is lifelong. Specialists urge people to quit smoking and curb pollution.
Five ways clapping your hands may benefit your health
Regular clapping may boost circulation, lift mood, improve flexibility and help with weight control, according to proponents who link it to acupressure points.
Bangla QR push targets hospitals, schools and tolls
Bangladesh Bank wants Bangla QR used for hospital tickets, school fees and road tolls to cut small cash payments, as QR use has risen about fourfold since July.
Four held with yaba in BAU guest house room
Police detained four people, including a Bangladesh Agricultural University employee, with yaba and drug paraphernalia in a room of the university guest house.
852,422 people missed first dose of cholera vaccine
Bangladesh's first oral cholera vaccine drive reached 82.6 percent of its target, with 852,422 people missing the first dose, most of them in Narayanganj.
Dengue kills 142 in 29 days of September
Six more people died of dengue in 24 hours and 1,942 were hospitalised, taking deaths this month to 142 and cases to 41,826, the health directorate says.
Measles symptoms kill five more, toll reaches 1104
Five more people died with measles symptoms in Bangladesh in 24 hours, raising the combined death toll from measles and related symptoms to 1104.
Dengue kills six more, hospitalizes 1942 in Bangladesh
Six more dengue patients died and 1942 were admitted to hospitals in Bangladesh, according to figures released by the health directorate on Tuesday.
Bangladesh has South Asia's highest medicine VAT
Bangladesh's medicine VAT reaches about 17.5%, above India and Pakistan, as high costs and old price caps contribute to shortages of essential drugs.
World Heart Day: Bangladesh records up to 777 deaths daily
Bangladesh records 562 to 777 heart disease deaths and about 2 thousand 720 new cases daily as specialist and cath lab shortages strain care outside Dhaka.
Bangladesh rape cases rise amid political links
Bangladesh recorded 4,654 rape cases in the first eight months of the year, with police finding political links in many investigations nationwide.
Bangladesh faces shortage of 117 essential medicines
Most of Bangladesh's 117 listed essential medicines are scarce as outdated price caps deter production, pushing patients toward costlier alternatives.
Jamaat gives Tk 50 lakh to Mirpur health center
Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman visited the damaged Radda MCH-FP Center in Mirpur and announced Tk 50 lakh to help restore the health facility.
How to choose the right pillow for better sleep
The right pillow depends on sleep position, shoulder width and mattress firmness, while simple towel adjustments can help test the ideal height.
Sun exposure for children: what science recommends
Infants under 6 months should avoid direct sun, while older children may benefit from limited exposure based on age, skin, season and safety.