blogs.worldbank.org (07.07.2020) The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the long-anticipated surge in telemedicine services worldwide. Consulting a health care provider over phone, video or text has become the new normal for many non-urgent medical needs, while the crisis has sparked renewed interest in digital tools that can test and monitor at-risk patients safely in their homes.

Government of the Republic of Benin (10.07.2020) The majority of beneficiaries exercising certain trades who were impacted by the restrictive measures to fight against the spread of corona virus have started receiving a subsidy via cash transfers on their mobile phones. 

Al Jazeera (07.07.2020) Burundi has launched a campaign of mass testing for the coronavirus in the country's largest city, in a significant shift in policy for a nation which has largely ignored the dangers of the outbreak.

Many Bujumbura residents, including students, participated in the screening in three centres in the north, centre and south of the commercial capital on Monday.

unicef.org (01.07.2020) The Government of Spain recently launched a national ‘Basic Income scheme’ (‘Ingreso Minimo Vital’), for extremely poor households and vulnerable groups. The means-tested programme is expected to reach approximately 2.5 million people, who will receive between €462 and €1,015 per month per household depending on the number of household members. Total household income and wealth determines whether a household receives the benefit, and applicants should be between 23 and 65 years of age and have legal residence in Spain of at least one year.

lefigaro.fr (10.07.2020) Le parquet de Paris a annoncé vendredi enquêter sur des fraudes «massives» au chômage partiel, impliquant des «flux financiers internationaux», qui ont occasionné «plus d'1,7 million d'euros» de préjudice.

Orbitax News (10.07.2020) Mexico's Social Security Institute has announced a simplified installment plan scheme for employers facing difficulties in paying their social security contributions due to COVID-19. Under the scheme, employers may make up to 48 monthly installments, subject to monthly interest as follows:

Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit (14.05.2020) The Solidarity Coverage to Support the Health Sector consists of life insurance from insurance companies to provide financial protection to the families of public sector health personnel free of charge. The beneficiaries of this support will be the relatives of 1.6 million public sector health workers who have died from the COVID-19, when treating patients with this disease. In the event of death due to the direct cause of said disease, the insurers undertake to grant 50 thousand pesos to relatives of the aforementioned staff (

Ministry of the Economy (25.05.2020) 

Samui Times (17.06.2020) Thailand’s state welfare card holders have been approved to get three handouts of 1,000 THB each as long as they have not fallen under other governmental financial aid campaigns surrounding the efforts to help those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. it will be paid in three monthly installments which have been backdated from May.

The daily Star (08.07.2020) A virtual court in Dhaka today placed seven officials and employees of Regent Group on a five-day remand each in a case filed overissuing fake Covid-19 test results and charging patients for the test and treatment. They charged patients for the tests and treatment despite having an agreement with the government on carrying out tests and providing treatment for free. 

The Daily Star (08.07.2020) 

The government is set to distribute 10-kilogramme rice for free to each of over one crore "ultra-poor and destitute families" ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

The food aid will be given to 1,00,06,869 vulnerable group feeding (VGF) card holders across the country to mitigate the consequences of disasters like flood and coronavirus outbreak.

The Daily Star (30.06.2020) The government of Bangladesh has taken several positive measures to cope with the current crisis. On 7 April 2020, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced special insurance and stimulus for healthcare workers (HCWs) and other employees of the republic for their frontline roles in the fight against coronavirus. Special incentives include health insurance of Tk 5-10 lakh (according to rank), and the amount will be five times higher if anyone is at higher risk of death or dies from the virus.

Dhaka Tribune (10.05.2020) The government has decided to bear the operational costs of undersigned private hospitals treating Covid-19 patients. Medical professionals and others working at these hospitals will be paid by the government.   

However, private medical professionals will not be eligible for the same financial facilities as government employees. Government medical professionals are set to receive bonus salaries and will also get monetary aid if they contract or die from Covid-19.

Orbitax News (10.04.2020) A deferral of the payment of taxes and social insurance contributions on employee salaries and wages for the months of March, April, and May 2020, which can be deferred up to 4 January 2021, with the possibility of payment in up to 24 monthly installments. To qualify, it is required that companies have not reduced their number of employees by more than 10% between 15 March and the date the Regulations entered into force (10 April 2020). 

Government website (31.03.2020) the government of the Republic of Serbia adopted a decision to increase salaries by 10% to all health care professionals in the Republic of Serbia as of 1 April this year.

This increase applies to all employees of health and military health care institutions, employees of health care services in social care institutions, as well as to doctors who work in correctional facilities.

Ministry of Finance (03.07.2020) Coverage of State Budget of employer contributions during the months of July, August and September 2020 for companies that have the highest percentage of their turnover by 3 the quarter.