The government will start Vitamin A plus campaign across the country on Monday with a target to provide Vitamin A plus capsule to 2,20 crore children, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday. Under the programme, 25 lakh children aged between 6 to 11 months will be fed blue colour A plus capsule while 1.95 crore children aged between 12 to 59 months will be fed red colour capsule, he said while speaking at a programme at the Ministry. The government started the Vitamin A plus campaign in 2010 and children are fed the capsule twice a year, he said adding “Now only 0.04% children are affected with the night blindness disease due to Vitamin A deficiency.” Already the capsule has been sent to the central drug store, districts, city corporations and publicity about the progrmame has been launched through private and government TV channels and national dailies, he said. Also read: Vaccine drive to prevent cervical cancer from September: Health Minister A total of 2.40 lakh volunteers will work at 1.20 lakh centres while 40,000 health workers will participate in the campaign, said the minister.  

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will be administered to the adolescents girls aged between 10 -15 years from September free of cost, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Monday. The number of patients in cervical cancer is increasing, so there is a plan to increase screening to detect the cancer, he said, while speaking at a programme at the ministry. The government has undertaken a plan to administer the HPV vaccine and it will be administered like other vaccines, he said. “It will be effective if we can administer the vaccine to the adolescents girls aged 10-15 years. The vaccine will be provided free of cost and only one dose will be given to the girls,” said Maleque. Referring to breast cancer, the minister said “We will try to provide necessary machineries at the upazila level so that the disease can be detected as early as possible.” Also read: Govt to provide Tk. 50,000 worth of free health care to 15 lakh families: Minister Replying to a question, Maleque said: “The government is sincere about health care services and in case of importing medical equipment, the government will try its best to fulfill the need by opening LC. But there is no crisis of equipment now at the government hospitals.”  

Activities of five medical colleges have been suspended and approval of one medical college has been revoked for not conducting quality education as per law and policy. Health Minister Zahid Maleque came up with the information at parliament on Sunday in reply to a tabled question from Jatiya Party MP Moshiur Rahman Ranga. The minister said that there are currently 76 private medical colleges including five run by the army in the country. The suspended private medical colleges are Nightingale Medical College, Ashulia, Dhaka (50 seats), Northern International Medical College, Dhaka (75 seats), Northern Private Medical College, Rangpur (80 seats), and Shah Makhdoom Medical College, Rajshahi (50 seats). However, the minister did not mention the name of the medical college that lost approval. Meanwhile, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament that the operation of Matarbari deep sea port can be started in 2026. He said that the Matarbari port development project was taken at an estimated cost of Tk 17777.20 crore to establish the country's first deep sea port. Also read: Ctg Shahi Jame Masjid Bill 2023 passes in parliament The duration of this project is till December 31, 2026. In reply to a query from ruling Awami League MP Kazim Uddin Ahmed, the junior minister said at present tenders have been invited in three packages for construction of 460 m long container jetty and 300m long multipurpose jetty and construction of all port facilities including container yard. He said it is expected that the construction work of jetty and container yard can be started by next July.  

A total of five people died of Nipah virus across the country this year, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday. “Eight people were infected with Nipah virus and of them five people died,” he said at a press briefing over the Nipah virus outbreak at the Secretariat. Usually more than 70 percent of infected people die and people who drink raw date juice and fruits partially eaten by birds, especially bats, have possibility of being infected with the virus, he said. “Besides, healthy people who come in contact with the infected ones also have possibility of being infected with the virus and it spreads from person to person quickly which is a matter of concern,” he added. The government has taken steps to prevent the spread of Nipah virus, said the minister. “First of all we have to make people aware about the virus through media,” said Maleque. Besides, the government has taken step to create dedicated ward and separate Intensive Care unit at hospitals for providing treatment to the infected people, he said. Also read: Transfer of immunity against Nipah virus from mother to child: icddr,b There is vaccine or medicine for treatment of Nipah virus infected patients, he added. He also urge people to remain alert about the spread of the virus, refrain from drinking raw date juice and fruits eaten by birds or animals. Replying to a question about the current situation of the virus, the minister said “We are trying our best to contain the spread of the virus.”  

Criticising the movement by the opposition BNP to topple the government of Bangladesh, Minister for Health and Family Planning Zahid Maleque on Saturday (January 28, 2023) said a party left without a leader has no chance of coming to power. “First get a leader and then come to politics,” he said. Maleque said this while addressing at the inaugural function of a newly-built building and prize giving ceremony of a sports competition at Jagir High School in Sadar upazila of Munshiganj, as the chief guest. Urging the BNP to join the next national election expected to be held early next year, he said there is no chance to come to power by the backdoor. Read more: 'Only way to oust government is through election' “Seek the vote of people joining the election, go to the power once people take you (BNP) to the power through voting, otherwise not,” he said.     Addressing the developments carried out by Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina, the health minister said that she must be brought to power again for the development of the country.   Advising students to study attentively, he said a good human being without education and dreams does not materialise. With the school governing committee president Md Shamim Miah in the chair, Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Abdul Latif and Municipality Mayor Md Ramjan Ali among others spoke at the event. Read More: 10-point Demand: BNP marches from Badda to Malibagh

The government will issue health ID cards for every Bangladeshi, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday .  The minister said this while speaking at the ‘BSRF Dialogue’ organized by Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the Media Center at the Secretariat. He said the DPP (development project proposal) regarding this has been submitted to the Planning Commission. “I also talked to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina regarding this and am waiting for her approval,” he added. Also Read: No unauthorised clinics in Dhaka city, health minister tells JS He said  the health cards will contain of all necessary medical records of a patient. He said the newly inaugurated Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Super Specialized Hospital will start full-scale operations on January 23. “During my tenure, hospital beds were increased from 21 to 50 in 30 hospitals and from 50 to 100 in another five. In the last four years, seven medical assistance training centers and five medical colleges have been established. Projects for another five medical colleges are ongoing,” he said. BSRF president Tapan Biswas presided over the dialogue while its secretary Masudul Haq moderated it.  

Citizens aged above 60 will get the fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine,  said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Monday. Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina approved it and people can get vaccinated  during the ongoing seven-day campaign from any centre, the minister told reporters at the Secretariat. Read more: 7-day Covid-19 vaccination campaign kicks off Thursday Around 98 percent of the adult people have jabbed against the Covid-19, he said. “Besides, students are also being administered with the vaccine.” So far, 14 crore people have been vaccinated with the first dose while more than 12 crore people with the second dose and six crore with the booster dose against Covid-19, he added. Earlier, the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 recommended administering the fourth dose of Covid vaccine to contain the further spread of the virus, said Dr Shamsul Haque, director of the vaccination program of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), on November 30. Read more: COVID-19: US vaccine donations to Bangladesh exceed 100 million It recommended bringing front liners, citizens aged above 60 and the pregnant women under the fourth dose vaccination progamme in the first phase, he said. The seven-day special vaccination campaign against Covid-19 was launched on December 1 that will end December 7. Around 90 lakh people will be vaccinated under this campaign where 17,116 teams will provide the service.

BNP is trying to mislead people by spreading rumours of a reserve crisis, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday. “They (BNP) are involved in misleading people by spreading different rumours about the reserve crisis and showing a temporary power crisis as well as trying to put the development works of the government under doubt,” he said. The health minister said this while speaking at a programme on the ‘8th international Homeopathy Science Conference-2022’ organised by Centre for Advanced Studies in Homeopathy, held at the conference room of Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IEDB). Criticising BNP, Maleque said BNP is spreading rumours by saying that Bangladesh is in a reserve crisis but actually Bangladesh's forex reserves now stand at $34.3 billion while it was only $3 billion during the tenure of BNP. During the tenure of BNP, only 4000 MW of power was generated but now Bangladesh is producing 24,000 MW of power under the Sheikh Hasina-led government, he added. Besides, there is no shortage of food while hundreds of young people are now working, reducing the unemployment status, said the minister. “Bangladesh is now moving towards a self-sufficient position with the development of hundreds of projects including Padma Bridge and Metrorail but BNP does not see anything good in Bangladesh,” he said. Admiring the homeopathy treatment in Bangladesh, the minister stressed the need for appointing Homeopathic physicians in all hospitals across the country. “There is no side-effect in Homeopathic treatment and the demand of the treatment is on a rising trend.”  

The government will launch another special vaccination campaign against Covid-19, marking the country’s Victory Day, said the Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday. The campaign will start from December 1 and end on December 7, he said in an event marking World Antibacterial Week at a city hotel. Read more: COVID-19: US vaccine donations to Bangladesh exceed 100 million Around 90 lakh people will be vaccinated under this campaign, he added. “We have been successful in our previous campaigns. Hopefully this one will be successful too,” said the minister. Read more: Campaign for 1st, 2nd doses of Covid vaccine to continue till Oct 8: DGHS So far, 14.69 crore people have been vaccinated with the first dose while more than 12 crore people with the second dose against  Covid-19, he added.

Food adulteration has increased alarmingly across the country, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday. "Almost all the foods we eat are adulterated", he said while addressing an opinion exchange meeting at the Directorate of Health Services in the capital's Mohakhali. Basic food items, including rice, pulses, spices, fish and vegetables have toxic chemicals and other harmful additives, he said. Read: Adequate measures taken for treatment of Dengue patients: Health Minister As a result, ailments like cancer and Kidney diseases have doubled across the country. "In developed countries, no compromises are made to poison food, no matter how powerful a company is. But adulterated food is being served everywhere in our country. So, where do people go? What will we eat? It won't be allowed anymore,” the minister warned. "Creating awareness among people is a must to stop food adulteration. We’ve taken various steps in this regard,” the minister said. "If we want to give a healthy life to our next generation, these adulterated businesses must be stopped now", he said. Read: Misbehaving govt doctors drive patients for treatment abroad: Health Minister "We are going to form some field level teams to prepare a specific report on this. Later, we will sit with the higher authorities and resolve it very soon,” the minister said. Director General of the Department of Health Prof Dr ABM Khurshid Alam, Director (Administration) Prof Dr Md. Shamiul Islam Sadi and other Directorate of Health officials were present at the meeting.