Bulgaria's long-awaited plan to set up an "electronic health" system has received a surprise boost with IT workers left without work thanks to the coronavirus crisis pledging to work on the project for free.

"We are offering to donate 15,000 man-hours from our experts to improve the public health system," Ilia Krastev from the AIBEST association of tech businesses said late Monday.

"Let us come out of this crisis with one of the best prepared (digital health) systems in the EU," Krastev added.

IT plays a key role in Bulgaria's economy, employing some 75,000 specialists and generating about 5 percent of Bulgaria's GDP.

AIBEST has signed a memorandum with the health ministry to work on the system, which should include the introduction of digital prescriptions, electronic patient dossiers and medication tracking systems for hospitals.

Electronic registers of infected people and those under quarantine should also help in the country's current fight against the novel coronavirus.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov welcomed the memorandum, saying it was a display of "real patriotism".

"We are experiencing a decline in orders from clients," AIBEST board member Stefan Bumov told AFP, adding: "The experts are there and we'll keep them busy with an aim that will motivate them."

Bumov said he hoped the move would prevent further emigration of IT specialists from Bulgaria and pave the way for increased activity for the sector once the coronavirus crisis is over.

While the government will not be paying for the work, Bumov said the companies in the association are considering ways of compensating their employees.

Bulgaria, the EU's poorest member, first announced plans for a digitised health system back in 2005 but most of the public tenders for the various parts of the system have been held up by appeals from failed candidates.

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