DHAKA: Biologists say they have solved the riddle of how a tiny bacterium senses light and moves towards it: the entire organism acts like an eyeball.In a single-celled pond slime, they observed how incoming rays are bent by the bug’s spherical surface and focused in a spot on the far

DHAKA: A rare case of the Zika virus being transmitted through sex, not a mosquito bite, has been reported in the US.A patient infected in Dallas, Texas, is likely to have been infected by sexual contact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) told the BBC.The person had not travelled to

DHAKA: A disease linked to the Zika virus in Latin America poses a global public health emergency requiring a united response, says the World Health Organization (WHO).The WHO alert puts Zika in the same category of concern as Ebola, reports the BBC.This categorization means research and

DHAKA: Bangladesh has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India for cooperation in pharmaceuticals on the sidelines of the 8th Asia Pharma Expo in city on Thursday (January 28).The MoU was signed between the Indian Pharmaceutical Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (IPMMA)

DHAKA: Strains of the HIV virus are becoming resistant to an antiretroviral drug commonly used to prevent and fight it, research has suggested.HIV was resistant to the drug Tenofovir in 60% of cases in several African countries, according to the study, covering the period from 1998 to

DHAKA: The World Health Organization has set up a Zika "emergency team" after the "explosive" spread of the virus.It predicts three to four million people will be infected in the Americas this year, although most will not develop symptoms, reports the BBC.The infection has been linked to

DHAKA: US scientists have urged the World Health Organisation to take urgent action over the Zika virus, which they say has "explosive pandemic potential".Writing in a US medical journal, they called on the WHO to heed lessons from the Ebola outbreak and convene an emergency committee of

DHAKA: Scientists, including one of Indian-origin, are developing a handheld microscope, roughly the size of a pen, which could allow brain cancer surgeons to "see" at a cellular level in the operating room if tumour cells have been successfully removed."Surgeons don't have a very good

DHAKA: New figures from Brazil show a further rise in the number of babies born with abnormally small heads to mothers infected with the Zika virus.There have been 3,893 cases of microcephaly since October, when the authorities first noticed a surge, up from 3,500 in last week's

DHAKA: Liberia is to be declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization (WHO), effectively putting an end to the world's worst outbreak of the disease.The "end of active transmission" will be declared, after 42 days without a new case in Liberia, reports the BBC.It joins Guinea and

DHAKA: The World Health Organization (WHO) says close to one in seven people in India are at risk of contracting malaria.In a report that should worry public health officials, it says India, along with Ethiopia, Pakistan and Indonesia accounts for 80% of all malaria cases worldwide, but

RAJSHAHI: About six lakh people die across the world every year for passive smoking. In Bangladesh, women and children are mostly affected by it.Speakers made the remarks while addressing a discussion organized by District Tobacco Control Act Implementation Taskforce Committee in

DHAKA: Non-smoking certificate will be made a must for enrolment in medical colleges from session 2016-17.Health minister Mohammed Nasim made the disclosure to reporters in city on Sunday.He also said it can’t be imagined that a smoker will be a doctor.Meanwhile, some anti-smoking

DHAKA: Guinea is to be declared free of Ebola by the World Health Organization (WHO), two years after the epidemic began there.Guineans are expected to celebrate the landmark with concerts and fireworks.The disease killed more than 2,500 people in the country and a further 9,000 in Sierra

DHAKA: Saima Wazed Hossain, chairperson to national advisory committee on autism affairs and also daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, advised people concerned to change the misconception regarding a child’s disability.She said that there is a need of changing attitude towards

DHAKA: Bangladesh government will introduce a Tk 50,000 health insurance to facilitate healthcare for the poor from January.‘From January next year, the health insurance will be formally initiated as pilot project,’ said Health Minister Mohammed Nasim at signing ceremony of deal

DHAKA: The foundation stone of the Emergency Department has been laid at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in city.Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the university Professor Dr Kamrul Hasan Khan laid the foundation stone around Saturday morning, a press release said.Pro-VC

DHAKA: The government is mulling to extend internship for one year more after passing MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) for medical college students.Health minister Mohammed Nasim made the assertion while addressing a program at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical

DHAKA: World Health Organization (WHO) revealed UN Child Mortality Report 2015 saying that at least 74,000 infants died this year.They also expressed concern and said that in average 7,400 infants die everyday in southeast Asia.However, the neonatal mortality rate is 23 per 1,000 in

DHAKA: Obesity is the biggest threat to women's health and the health of future generations, warns England's chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies.In her annual report, she said tackling obesity should be a national priority and women should be empowered to lead healthier and more