LIVE TV
Odisha
Photo: IANS
Recommended Stories
The Odisha government has received two bids in response to the global e-tender it had floated for procurement of Covid-19 vaccine doses from global market.
The tender was floated by the Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited on May 15 to procure 3.8 crore vaccine doses from leading manufacturers across the globe.
"In response to the global e-tender floated by the OSMCL for procurement of vaccines, two bids have been received. They are under evaluation," the State health department informed.
Also Read
The response to the global tender was revealed after the extended deadline for submission of bids ended today. On May 28, the State government had extended the bid deadline in view of requests from many prospective vendors, cyclone Yaas and also for greater participation of vaccine suppliers.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Naba Das had written a letter to the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan demanding vaccine procurement at national-level citing limited response to the global tender. Das had said there has been limited response to the tender as observed during the pre-bidding stage. Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech have not participated in the pre-bidding meeting.
The low response promoted the government to ease norms of certain terms and conditions in the global e-tender.
As per the revised norms in the tender documents, manufacturers or their importers approved by USFDA, EMA, MHRA-UK or PMDA-Japan or listed by WHO for emergency use are now eligible to bid.
“Purchase orders will be placed to such qualified bidders subject to the approval of DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India),” it added.
Subsequently, on June 2, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to CMs across the country for a consensus on centralised procurement of Covid-19 vaccines by the Centre in view of the challenges faced by states.
