Five premature and low-birth-weight babies born together under the intensive care of doctors at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) have been successfully cured and sent home on May 14, 2026. Thursday, at BMU’s Shaheed Dr. Milton Hall, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. FM Siddiqui, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) Professor Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman, Treasurer Professor Dr. Nahrin Akhtar, Chairman of the Department of Neonatology Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Mannan, Chairman of the Department of Phytomaternal Medicine Professor Dr. Tabassum Parveen took the newborns in their arms and handed them over to their parents and relatives with smiles. According to the doctors, this is a very rare and challenging event in the context of Bangladesh. At this time, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. FM Siddiqui described this incident as a great success for BMU and praised the medical services and the skills of the doctors and nurses of BMU’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Phytomaternal Medicine Department, and Neonatology Department.

Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) Professor Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Registrar Professor Dr. Md. Mostafa Kamal, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Professor Dr. Shamim Ahmed, Dean of the Faculty of Surgery Professor Dr. Md. Ibrahim Siddique, Dean of the Faculty of Children’s Professor Dr. Md. Atiar Rahman, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Technology Professor Dr. M. Abu Hena Chowdhury, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing Professor Dr. Md. Monir Hossain Khan, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Medicine Dr. Sakhawat Hossain Sayant, along with teachers, doctors and resident students of the Department of Neonatology and the Department of Phytomaternal Medicine were present. Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Mannan, Chairman of the Department of Neonatology, said that on April 5, 2026, five babies were born to a 30-year-old mother through a cesarean section at 33 weeks of gestation. The pregnancy was high-risk from the beginning due to multiple gestation. The babies were admitted to the NICU due to respiratory distress and immaturity immediately after birth. The babies weighed 1420 grams, 1250 grams, 1410 grams, 985 grams and 1625 grams respectively at birth. Some of them were very underweight. After birth, they showed signs of respiratory distress such as rapid breathing, chest heaving and grunting. Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Mannan also said that from the beginning, emphasis was given to the treatment of children by starting breastfeeding within one hour of birth, providing CPAP support, ensuring infection prevention through regular hand washing, introducing Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) and planned early discharge based on rapid recovery. All five children were given CPAP support immediately after birth. Through close monitoring, temperature control, step-by-step food increase and ensuring breast milk from the mother, their breathing problems decreased within a few days. Starting breastfeeding within the first hour of birth has played an important role in the rapid recovery of newborns. According to NICU sources, the family is also specially trained on infection prevention under the supervision of hospital doctors and nurses. Regular and proper hand washing habits have significantly reduced the risk of infection. Doctors at the neonatal department said that kangaroo mother care is started once the babies’ condition is stable. According to the doctors, this method of keeping the babies in skin-to-skin contact with the mother’s chest has helped the babies gain weight, regulate their temperature, and improve the mother-infant bond. Five days after birth, on 9 April 2026, the babies were transferred to a private hospital as part of a planned early discharge, where follow-up care continued. At 30 days of follow-up, all five babies were consistently gaining weight. Their weights then stood at 1700 grams, 1520 grams, 1645 grams, 1215 grams and 1825 grams respectively. All were healthy. According to doctors, even with limited resources in Bangladesh, it is possible to successfully recover highly vulnerable premature newborns if timely NICU care, breastfeeding, CPAP management, infection prevention and kangaroo mother care are ensured. Edited by Dr. Saiful Azam Ranju.