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A total of 12 billion tons of concrete materials are produced annually, about 2 tons per person. More sustainable buildings are thus needed to decrease the carbon footprint of concrete infrastructures in the context of climate change. Crack formation is a major flaw of concrete structures. Although cracks are usually small and do not necessarily induce building collapse, cracks reduce the life span and sustainability of buildings. Therefore, research has developed self-healing materials that are capable of repairing narrow cracks automatically. Here we review self-healing technologies such as adding mineral mixtures, bacteria, and adhesive liquids. Mineral healing is economically positive, yet relies on suitable conditions such as the presence of water, and is less efficient to heal larger cracks. By contrast, the bacterial encapsulation is promising due to the uniform characteristics of bacteria in the alkaline environment of concrete.

The earthquake hit early in the morning, causing hundreds of buildings to collapse and killing over 50,000 people, including 4,500 deaths and 8,500 injuries registered in Syria. 1 This earthquake in Turkey is considered to be the strongest since 1939 and among the rare earthquakes with magnitude 7.0 or greater world-wide, with few occurring each year. 2 While both countries have been affected, Turkey has a relatively stronger emergency response infrastructure and health care system, and received much more international attention. 3 However, the situation in Syria is direr, with the population already suffering from the long-standing conflict and economic crisis; yet, they received little international attention in comparison. The earthquake has also disrupted regular health care services and may impact the emergency care required for an estimated 5,000 pregnant women experiencing complications in affected areas. 6 The health system in Syria has already been devastated by the on-going conflict for over 12 years, with almost 30% of public health facilities out of operation. 7 The earthquake has compounded this crisis, causing significant damage to medical facilities and leaving thousands of injured people without access to care. The fragile health care system is struggling to provide adequate care for earthquake survivors and other patients, making the situation even more challenging. 8 The earthquake has also placed a significant strain on Syrians’ mental health, exacerbating the already limited availability of mental health services in Syria.

Since the beginning of 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)/coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought unprecedented risk to global public health and devastated the global health system. In the absence of an available vaccine, the world has already witnessed multiple waves of this pandemic. Since the first case was recorded there on March 8, 2020, Bangladesh has endured eighteen months of infection without reaching zero cases. 1 The country is now experiencing a devastating second wave of the pandemic, caused mainly by the coronavirus Delta strain, which was first identified in Bangladesh on May 8, 2021 through a traveler from India. 2 Additionally, Hasan reported that the Delta variant caused 98% of detected COVID-19 cases during the second wave of the pandemic in Bangladesh. 3 The current pandemic is particularly vulnerable to marginalized people (refugees) in low-middle income countries because of their poor living conditions and limited access to washing, sanitation, and hygiene facilities. [...]natural disasters, lack of space, and permanent shelters remain an issue for refugees. [...]an integrated action plan is needed and must be implemented immediately to reduce the risk of increased infection and reduce the impact of natural disasters.

The government’s investment in mental health resources, including bed capacity and personnel, appears to be inadequate. 4 Health authorities are concentrating more on enhancing mental health services as a result of its prevalence. [...]it’s crucial to promptly reunite children with their parents or caregivers, as this can shield them from trauma and neglect. 3 Caregivers also require support in the form of family–friendly shelter, housing, and provisions suitable for children. 3 Implementing predisaster routines without delay, such as maintaining regular education and engaging in typical activities, can serve as a protective measure for children. 3 Art therapy shows promise as an effective method for reducing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). [...]it is advisable to consider arranging for art therapy in the earthquake shelter. Mental health workers should also receive special training in children’s trauma recovery so that they can be of assistance during the post-disaster period.

Vaccination is undoubtedly one of the most effective strategies to halt the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study aimed to investigate the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination and its associated factors using two health behavior change frameworks: the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A total of 639 Bangladeshi adults (mean age: 24 years) participated in a cross-sectional online study between July and August 2021. The questionnaire covered questions regarding vaccine intentions, sociodemographic features, health status, perceived trust in/satisfaction with health authorities, reasons for vaccine hesitancy, and factors related to the health behavior change frameworks. Hierarchical logistic regression was employed to determine associations between these predictors and vaccine acceptance. The intention to get a COVID-19 vaccination was expressed among 85% of the participants. In fully adjusted models, students and respondents with more normal body weights reported higher intentions to get vaccinated. Respondents were also more likely to seek vaccination if they reported greater levels of perceived susceptibility, benefits, and cues to action, as well as lower levels of barriers and self-efficacy. Fear of future vaccine side effects was the most common reason for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and was expressed by 94% of the vaccine-hesitant respondents. These factors should be considered by health authorities in Bangladesh and perhaps other countries when addressing the plateauing COVID-19 vaccination rates in many populations.

Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is critical for controlling the pandemic. Despite the development of safe and efficacious vaccinations, low-and lower-middle income countries (LMICs) continue to encounter barriers to care owing to inequitable access and vaccine apprehension. This study aimed to summarize the available data on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates and factors associated with acceptance in LMICs. A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception through August 2021. Quality assessments of the included studies were carried out using the eight-item Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies. We performed a meta-analysis to estimate pooled acceptance rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A total of 36 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. A total of 83,867 respondents from 33 countries were studied. Most of the studies were conducted in India (n = 9), Egypt (n = 6), Bangladesh (n = 4), or Nigeria (n = 4). The pooled-effect size of the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate was 58.5% (95% CI: 46.9, 69.7, I2 = 100%, 33 studies) and the pooled vaccine hesitancy rate was 38.2% (95% CI: 27.2–49.7, I2 = 100%, 32 studies). In country-specific sub-group analyses, India showed the highest rates of vaccine acceptancy (76.7%, 95% CI: 65.8–84.9%, I2= 98%), while Egypt showed the lowest rates of vaccine acceptancy (42.6%, 95% CI: 16.6–73.5%, I2= 98%). Being male and perceiving risk of COVID-19 infection were predictors for willingness to accept the vaccine. Increasing vaccine acceptance rates in the global south should be prioritized to advance global vaccination coverage.

Vulnerability to hazards not only relies on the extent of natural hazards but also depends on the social and economic conditions of the communities. Therefore, this study intends to construct a household-level social vulnerability at the microscale in the nine wards of Chalna Municipality (CM), Dacope upazila, in southwest coastal Bangladesh by employing the social vulnerability index (SoVI). We surveyed 30 households from each ward to collect data on 33 vulnerability indicators. Of these, seven indicators were extracted by principal component analysis (PCA), which explained 96.34% of the total variance. The PCA results indicate that high population density, poor economic condition, the presence of vulnerable groups, unstable income generating sources, unplanned urban and poor infrastructure, lack of services, and lack of adequate sewage systems are the key drivers of social vulnerability of the CM. The SoVI score was generated using seven PCA outcomes for the respective wards. Results revealed that 44.45% of the areas are medium–high to high (wards 2, 4, 5, and 6) vulnerable. The highest level of social vulnerability was distributed in ward 5, while ward 8 was identified as the least vulnerable. About 33.33% of the CM was found as medium vulnerable areas (wards 1, 7, and 9). Ward 3 was categorized as a low–medium vulnerable area. The findings of the study will provide useful information for decision-makers and disaster managers to develop sustainable disaster management plans for coastal Bangladesh to reduce social vulnerability as well as to decrease the impacts of natural disasters.

Storm protection service of mangrove is often undervalued. This paper empirically assessed the damage avoided by the Sundarbans mangrove forest in 15 villages of southwest coastal Bangladesh, considering the super cyclone Sidr as reference point. The extent of damage of the cyclone was estimated for three situations: (1) villages protected by mangrove and within a polder, (2) villages not protected by mangrove but within a polder, and (3) villages not protected by mangrove and not within a polder. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 300 households selected from these villages by stratified random sampling. Significant differences in all the considered damage assessment attributes were obtained comparing the villages protected by mangrove with those not protected by mangrove. Quantifiable monetary loss associated with the cyclone was TK 69,726 (US$ 1025) per household in the villages sheltered by mangrove, which was about half compared to the villages not in the shadow of mangrove. Loss incurred per household was highest in villages that are not protected by mangrove and polder. Although local people highly valued the storm protection service of the Sundarbans mangrove forest, it is necessary to be emphasized in the disaster management policy of Bangladesh.

[...]crucial information on safety and evacuation is often not provided in accessible formats like Braille and sign language, making it difficult for individuals with sensory impairments to seek essential protection. 2 Disabled people are, on average, at greater risk of poor health and face barriers to health services and this is magnified by humanitarian crises. The mental health effects of conflict are well-recognized, and disabled people are particularly susceptible due to evacuation and resource access issues and exposure to violence and social isolation. 3 Women and girls, children, and older persons with disabilities are at higher risk related to their multiple intersecting social identities. Additionally, it puts a strain on the social affairs divisions in western Ukraine. Because of this, local disabled persons are unable to access adequate medical and social aids.