COVID Vaccine ‘Shortage’: Many States Speak – Will Release Global Tender

Many states are complaining of lack of vaccine amidst heavy havoc of COVID-19 in India

In the backdrop of the huge havoc of COVID-19 in India and the ‘lack of domestic vaccine’, many states / union territories have spoken about issuing a global tender to purchase the vaccine. Meanwhile, the Center has said that till now it has provided more than 18 crore doses of vaccine free of cost to the States / Union Territories. However, many states are constantly complaining of a lack of vaccine.

These states / union territories said about the global tender

Delhi

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Tuesday that the Delhi government will issue a global tender for the purchase of the Corona virus vaccine as it is facing a shortage of vaccine.

Sisodia alleged that the central government is forcing the state governments to issue global tenders for the purchase of vaccines.
He alleged that the central government wants state governments to compete and fight with each other in the international market for vaccines.

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh government may purchase large doses of international COVID-19 vaccines, including Sputnik V, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. State government officials gave this information on Tuesday.

The state government had invited global tenders for four crore doses earlier this month to meet the huge demand. Navneet Sehgal, additional secretary of the Uttar Pradesh government, said about the tender that there will be a meeting on Wednesday and all stakeholders can participate in it.

Karnataka

CN Ashwaththa Narayan, deputy chief minister of Karnataka and head of the state’s workforce on Kovid, told Mangavalar that more than two crore doses of Kovid vaccines through global tenders to meet the growing demand and vaccine to people between 18 and 44 years of age Will be purchased.

In addition, orders have already been placed for the purchase of three crore doses, including one crore covaxine and two crore covisheeled doses, he said.

Odisha

The Odisha government, which is facing a severe shortage of COVID-19 vaccine, decided to take out the Globar tender on Monday to purchase the vaccine. Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra said that the cabinet took this decision in one of its meetings chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Mahapatra said, “It was felt that vaccination is the best way to save people’s precious lives.” Therefore, the cabinet allowed the state government to withdraw the global tender and get the vaccine as soon as possible. ”
He had said that a technical committee will be formed soon to give suggestions on how to purchase the best vaccines being made by well-known companies in the world.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had said recently that the state government will issue a global tender in respect of COVID-19 vaccine and Remedesivir injections.

The Deputy Chief Minister had said, “We have decided to invite global tenders for COVID-19 vaccine and Remedisvir under a committee headed by Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte.”

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

The Telangana government said on Tuesday that the state cabinet has decided to issue a global tender for the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Apart from this, the officials of the Government of Andhra Pradesh have said that to complete the vaccination campaign as soon as possible, the state government will issue a tender for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine from foreign companies.