Bhubaneswar: The global e-tender floated by the Odisha State Medical Corporation Ltd (OSMCL) for procurement of vaccines received two bids Friday.
However, the government did not reveal the names of the two bidders. “They are under evaluation,” said Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Pradipta Mohapatra.
Earlier, Health Minister Naba Kishore Das had informed that neither Serum Institute of India (SII) nor Bharat Biotech participated in the bidding process. On the other hand, the state government has admitted that no global player is interested to deal with the state.
In view of the challenges faced by the states, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to his counterparts for a consensus on centralised procurement of vaccines. The global tender was floated May 14. Following the poor response, the last date of the tender was extended and the government also relaxed the terms and condition. Now, the price bid, which was scheduled to open June 4, has been rescheduled for June 9. This indicates the government is running after the vaccine manufacturers to get supplies.
Meanwhile, the actuate shortage of vaccines has hit hard the inoculation of the 18-44 age group. The state government doesn’t have sufficient stock of Covaxin to continue the ongoing vaccination programme in the capital.
In Bhubaneswar, the vaccination drive for 18-44 age group was conducted at only four government facilities Friday and only 390 people were inoculated. The state is having only 2440 Covaxin doses for the same group in its quota that will not last for even a day, official sources said.
However, the state is having enough stock of Covaxin under Central government quota for vaccination of 45 years and above. But, despite the state government’s request, the Centre has not allowed the state to use the vaccine to continue the drive for 18-44. The government is eying to receive about 1.60 lakh Covaxin doses in June, which will be used only for second dose, said state vaccination in-charge Bijay Panigrahy. “We don’t have sufficient vaccine for inoculation of 18-44 age group in Bhubaneswar. We will receive around 26,000 doses of Covaxin by June 7 and another 1.34 lakh in a phased manner. So there will not be any major problem to provide second dose. But, inoculation of new beneficiaries may have issues,” Panigarhy told Orissa POST.