Why it matters: Rangamati General Hospital Superintendent Dr. Nuyen Khisa has taken to the field to ensure the quality of medical care for dengue patients and to increase the dynamism of healthcare services.

The big picture: On Sunday afternoon, Civil Surgeon-cum-Superintendent of Rangamati General Hospital, Dr. Nuyen Khisa, conducted a surprise inspection to check on the physical condition of patients undergoing treatment in the dengue corner. He visited various wards of the hospital and collected detailed information from those on duty regarding the overall management of treatment.

Between the lines: The main objective of this inspection was to improve the quality of medical services at the hospital and ensure humane treatment for patients. Dr. Nuyen Khisa gave clear instructions that every officer and employee must perform their assigned duties with professionalism and provide timely service to patients.

What’s next: The health department is now working to deliver quality healthcare to the doorsteps of patients in light of government directives. This inspection, conducted in the presence of relevant officials including Resident Medical Officer Dr. Shawkat Akbar Khan, sends a message of further improving the quality of service in the future.

The bottom line: The Rangamati General Hospital authorities are committed to ensuring patient-friendly and public-oriented healthcare. The superintendent expressed optimism that the hospital’s medical services will become more dynamic through collective efforts.

This inspection is being viewed as part of ensuring transparency and accountability in the healthcare sector of Rangamati. Amid the dengue situation, the authorities have called upon doctors and nurses to be strict and sincere in ensuring maximum care for patients. It is expected that increased administrative surveillance of the hospital will benefit general patients and improve the quality of medical services. If such supervision continues at every level of the health department, public trust in government hospitals will be further strengthened.

Why it matters: Research by icddr,b and Stanford University has revealed that toxic lead is leaching from aluminium pots and pans used in Bangladesh into food, creating a severe risk to children’s brain development.

The big picture: There is no effective system to verify the quality of aluminium cookware available in the local market, nor are there specific national standards for the metals used in their production. The aluminium industry, centered in Chattogram, manufactures these pots by recycling old scrap metal, with no technology or institutional obligation to test for the presence of lead.

Between the lines: The study found that during the first use of new pots, up to 305 micrograms of lead per kilogram of rice and 420 micrograms per kilogram of khichuri were detected—levels many times higher than the safety limits set by the US FDA. Scrubbing with steel wool or using metal spatulas can increase the rate of lead leaching by up to five times.

By the numbers: Lead was detected in food cooked in every single pot tested during the research. According to the World Health Organization, no level of lead in the blood is safe, yet children consuming food cooked in these local pots are ingesting more than five times the lead limit set by the FDA.

What’s next: The BSTI has begun the process of including cookware in the list of essential products to establish safety standards. While the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and BSTI have announced plans for joint operations to ensure quality, the widespread use of aluminium in daily cooking remains a cause for long-term public health concern.

The bottom line: New or shiny pots do not necessarily mean they are safe; food cooked in these vessels made from scrap metal acts as a silent killer for children. Experts and researchers are emphasizing the immediate need for strict standards and increased public awareness.

The number of people suffering from kidney disease worldwide has risen sharply, with nearly 800 million patients now affected, according to a recent study published in The Lancet. The report notes that since 1990, the number of cases has doubled, mainly due to failure to detect the disease at an early stage.

Kidney disease is now the ninth leading cause of death globally in 2023, researchers said. Experts warn that reduced kidney function can lead to severe health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

Statistics show that China has the highest number of kidney patients (152 million), followed by India with 138 million. Other countries with over 10 million cases include the United States, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, among others.

Doctors say that kidney disease often shows no symptoms in its early stages, but later signs may include fatigue, swelling in the eyes or feet, changes in urination, nausea, itching, weight loss, and shortness of breath.

According to the Times of India, kidney diseases are often detected only in advanced stages. Regular urine tests can help identify the disease early, allowing patients to slow its progression through medication, diet, and lifestyle changes.