Country has adequate pneumonia vaccine stocks: Minister

The minister made the remarks while addressing a discussion organised by the Bangladesh Pediatric Society at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) on Thursday, marking World Pneumonia Day.

Highlighting the role of family awareness and a healthy environment in preventing childhood diseases, Sakhawat said a lack of awareness and unhealthy living conditions were among the major causes of pneumonia and other illnesses among children.

He said hospital visits had revealed several alarming practices, including multiple children sharing a single hospital bed and, in some cases, one child being fed another mother's breast milk.

Such practices could expose children to serious health risks, Sakhawat Hossain warned, adding that family-related complications and a lack of awareness often deprived children of proper care.

The minister also announced plans to engage around 25,000 Family Welfare Visitors at the grassroots level to raise awareness among mothers about breastfeeding, child nutrition and hygiene.

They will also be provided with small, portable screening machines for breast examinations, he said.

Outlining plans to strengthen early cancer detection, Sakhawat said the government was considering introducing improved screening systems for breast and cervical cancers, drawing on the experiences of countries such as Sri Lanka and Germany.

The initiative aims to detect the diseases at an early stage and ensure that affected women receive timely treatment, thereby improving their chances of recovery, he added.