Egypt’s Ministry of Finance issued new decisions regarding the payment of financial dues by the health sector amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, Invest-Gate reports.

The new measures allow individuals to pay the dues either in cash or electronically for public, university, and teaching hospitals in addition to specialized medical centers and hospitals affiliated to state economic authorities until the state’s preventative measures to contain the pandemic end, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said in a statement on April 28.

Dues that exceed EGP 500 were to be paid electronically as of April 23, but the virus outbreak has precluded applying that action, according to the statement.

Applying the electronic payment and collecting system contributed to enhancing government collection procedures, according to the statement. This is reflected in enhanced public fiscal management, upgraded economic indicators, and eased payments for citizens.

“It is unappropriated to ask individuals to pay such dues electronically while All capacities and facilities of the Egyptian health sector are dedicated now to countering the COVID-19 pandemic and curb its impacts,” Maait added.

In late 2019, the ministry has kicked off a comprehensive national project for the automation and digitization of tax administration and procedures, coming jointly with IBM, SAP, Ernst & Young (EY), among other local and foreign entities.