Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen (3rd L) hands over anti-dengue emergency supply to Bangladeshi Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque (2nd L) at a handover ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nov. 7, 2023. (Xinhua)

A handover ceremony of China's anti-dengue emergency supply for Bangladesh was held here on Tuesday.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen handed over the supply to the Bangladeshi Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque at the ceremony, saying that China and Bangladesh are genuine friends who share weal and woe and close neighbors who always help each other.

Bangladesh has recorded a total of 1,425 deaths from dengue fever out of 283,593 cases this year as of Tuesday, Bangladeshi health department figures showed.

In his speech, Maleque said the supplies are needed in fighting the disease, and recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese side also provided vaccines to Bangladesh.

Besides, Maleque added, the two sides also have established cooperation on the burn unit of Chittagong Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said relevant authorities of the two governments have kept in close communication and cooperated efficiently to ensure the early arrival and timely deployment of the emergency supplies from China.

Yao said the Chinese embassy has donated a batch of dengue kits to Enam Medical College Hospital, stressing that China will continue "to enhance the cooperation with Bangladesh in the health field and bring more tangible benefits to the people of the two countries."

Yao also added that last week, the cardiovascular disease digital infrastructure pilot site donated by the Chinese Embassy was officially launched at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.