No bids for Haryana’s global tender for 1 cr Covid-19 vaccines

“No bidder has applied for the global tender for supplying Covid-19 vaccines to Haryana,” its managing director Dr Saket Kumar told The Indian Express. The state did not receive any response or communication from any of the vaccine manufacturers in this regard, he added.

The eligibility criteria mentioned in the global tenders issued by Haryana said that the bidder and manufacturers should not belong to countries sharing borders with India.

Meanwhile, an Indian vaccine manufacturer – Bharat Serum and Vaccines Limited — participated in the bidding process for supplying Amphotericin-B injections.

Although, it is against the government rules to award the tender in case only a single bidder participates, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij Friday said that the norms were being relaxed. “In wake of the pandemic, rules are being relaxed and process of awarding the tender to the sole applicant who participated in the bidding process, has been initiated,” Vij said.

The HMSCL, a state-run company, had issued two global tenders — the first for rate contract for the supply of 1 crore doses of Covid vaccine to various government run hospitals in Haryana for a period of one year and the second for 15,000 vials of Amphotericin-B injections.

“The quantity mentioned is only indicative; it may be increased or decreased as per requirement of the indenting department. Any quantity or low quantity can be ordered for supply anywhere in Haryana. Firm cannot refuse supply on taking above plea,” the tender mentioned besides various other conditions.

It also mentioned that the manufacturer should have a valid WHO-GMP inspection certificate in line with the WHO certification scheme and Certificate of Pharmaceutical Products (COPP), on pharmaceuticals being quoted, from the appropriate Regulatory Authority (RA).

Several states had floated global tenders for Covid-19 vaccines. However, vaccine manufacturers emphasised that they would only interact with Government of India and shall supply medicines to the union government, and not directly to the states.

Till June 3, at least 1,025 patients suffering from Black Fungus were reported in Haryana out of which 92 died, 138 were cured while 784 were yet under treatment. According to state government, there were 2,048 Amphotericin-B injections available in state’s stock, 3,120 injections were expected to be delivered soon, while orders have been placed for another 5,000 injections. From May 18 till June 3, state government had distributed 6098 Amphotericin-B injections to Government Medical Colleges, Government Aided Colleges and Private Medical Colleges, private hospitals and Civil hospitals across the State.

On Friday, Haryana reported 895 fresh cases of Covid infection and 73 deaths, while 2,456 patients recovered in the last 24 hours taking the overall recovery rate to 97.42 per cent. The number of active Covid-19 patients came down to 11,054.