State to issue global expression of interest to procure vaccines
CM suggests Centre should have issued global tender for Covid vaccines and distributed to states
JAIPUR: With alarming rise in Covid-19 cases in Rajasthan, the state government has decided to issue an expression of interest (EOI) to procure Covid-19 vaccines from the vaccine manufacturers.
The government may float the EOI on Thursday.
However, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said it would have been better if the central government had bought the vaccine through global tenders and distributed to the states.
“Due to lack of Covid-19 vaccine in the country, many states are taking out global tenders to get vaccines from other countries. It would have been better if the central government had taken out the global tender and bought the vaccine and distributed it in the states and later would have taken payment from the state governments,” he tweeted.
However, the demand of the countrymen is that like other vaccines, the vaccine of this deadly epidemic should be provided completely free of cost by the central government. This would led to a system of onestop procurement which would be better for all states, he said.
A senior official of the health department said the Rajasthan government has decided to release EOI to procure vaccines. The firms will be asked when at what rate, and how many vaccines they can provide. “Only those vaccines will be procured which are approved by the Drug Controller General of India. Currently, three vaccines are approved Covaxin, Covishield, and Sputnik,” he said.
He said the state had also procured oxygen concentrators through global EOI – around 62 companies in 13 countries were contacted and thereafter were bought from Russia, China, and Dubai.
Health minister Raghu Sharma on Wednesday said, “On directions from the chief minister, the officers are exploring the possibilities of global tenders to purchase covid vaccines.”
Recently, Gehlot had stated that there is a need to speed up vaccination to curb the spread of the virus and reduce fatality. All options should be considered for the availability of vaccines in the state. “The state will consider importing Covid-19 vaccine to ensure that the residents of Rajasthan are vaccinated at the earliest,” he said.
Meanwhile, shortage of the Covid vaccines has slowed down the inoculation drive for the people in 60-plus age category, who have completed six weeks and waiting for the second dose.
Total 14.5 million people have been vaccinated in the state.
In Rajasthan, over 5.2 million people in the 60 plus age group have been vaccinated, of which only 29% (1.5 million) have received the second dose. The remaining are running from pillar to post to get vaccinated.
Similar is the situation in 45-59 age category – over 4.7 million people have been given the first dose and 12% (566,000) have been given the second dose also. Though, a majority of them still have time to complete the six-week gap.