Bangladesh hospitals reel from rising cases of childhood illness

Healthcare facilities in Bangladesh are in a state of shock as more children are being admitted due to pneumonia, diarrhea and dengue fever. 

In one hospital in Dhaka, the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital, more than 1,000 patients were admitted into their emergency, medicine, and surgery departments because of complications due to pneumonia, diarrhea, and dengue.

Other patients also suffered from colds, asthma and skin diseases.

Other children are also being admitted due to hernias, congenital disorders, hydrocephalus, edema in various parts of their bodies, burns, and plastic surgery needs.

Records from the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital show that cases of pneumonia, diarrhea and dengue have fluctuated over the years.

In 2023, the hospital recorded 3,511 pneumonia cases. It rose to 4,260 in 2024. So far this year until August 2025, pneumonia cases in the hospital reached 1,801.

Diarrhea cases, meanwhile, fell from 1,797 in 2023 to 361 by August 2025.

In 2024, the hospital recorded 806 dengue cases, with 11 deaths. So far this year, the hospital has admitted 290 patients with dengue fever, with two deaths.

Child mortality

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bangladesh records an average of 173 stillbirths daily.

There were 290 children under five who died each day.

Data also showed that most child deaths in the country occur within the first days or weeks after birth.

Pneumonia, drowning, respiratory diseases and malnutrition are the leading causes of child death in the country.

Some children are also missing their required vaccinations, especially in urban slums and remote areas.

These alarming trends show how children’s health is in a dire state in the country. 

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Doctors’ recommendations

Physician Dr Luna Parveen reminded all parents to make sure that children are given proper nutrition to protect them from any diseases.

She said for the first six months of a child, mothers should breastfeed them, followed by the gradual introduction of eggs, vegetables and bananas into their meal.

When the child enters his or her first to second year of age, they should eat a wide range of food.

Doctors said children should receive a balanced diet to support their growth, immunity and overall health.

Parents are also advised to follow the recommended immunisation schedule to protect children from these diseases.

Keeping a clean environment should also be a priority, as well as ensuring safe drinking water, and practicing proper sanitation to prevent infections.

Parents should consult their children to health professionals for treatment if they have symptoms of any disease and not delay it to avoid any risks of complications.

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