Vax import: Maha ready to relax terms
Health minister Tope says they are ready to buy 50mn doses from Pfizer, Moderna, J&J and Sputnik
MUMBAI: To get a response from international vaccine manufacturers to its call to procure 50 million vaccines, the Maharashtra government is engaging with the companies over the conditions of its global tender.
The state government had floated global bids on Monday, inviting companies to provide 50 million doses to Maharashtra, but is yet to receive any response from the companies. State health minister Rajesh Tope said the department is in touch with representatives of various companies and are working at “relaxing” certain conditions in the bid.
Tope said that as Indian vaccine manufacturers are unable to provide vaccines and with the intent to push the state’s drive “aggressively”, bids inviting foreign players were floated. The bids are open till May 25. “We are in touch with the companies and are in the process of relaxing some conditions. The conditions of global tender floated by the state are not stringent. But ultimately the company will have to take the permission from the Centre,” Tope said following a state cabinet meeting. “We expect to get a response soon. Some permissions have to come from the Centre and maybe the companies are also thinking about it before showing interest. We are ready to purchase any vaccine, be it Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, or Sputnik. They must give us a quote, and we are ready to make the payment.”
Maharashtra, meanwhile, administered 100,207 doses till 9pm on Wednesday, taking the tally of vaccinations carried out in the state to 20,304,809, the data on the Co-win portal showed. Of the total doses, 4,305,374 people are fully immunized, the data showed. In Mumbai, on Wednesday, 29,607 citizens were vaccinated, of which 11,835 were in the 18-44 age group, 4,850 between 45 and 59 years of age, and 12,301 were above 60 years of age, while the remaining were frontline and health care workers. Overall, Mumbai has administered 2,887,710 doses. According to BMC officials, on Thursday, too, walk-in vaccination will continue for those above the age of 60 years, and walk-ins for those above 45 years of age, only in case of second dose of Covaxin.
Senior health department officials said the two main roadblocks could be the Central permission that has to be taken by the company, and the storage and transportation of the doses. In its expression of interest (EOI), which was issued on Monday, the state government has put the onus of getting Central approvals on bidders. Although the state has floated the global tenders, there is no clarity on many aspects, including legal indemnity, whether to procure from the source country, the transportation of the stock, duties on them, among others According to officials, the state now has under 500,000 vaccines, including 300,000 Covishield doses and 200,000 Covaxin doses.