Odisha forms 2 panels for procurement of COVID vaccines through global tender

Bhubaneswar: As the state Government has decided to procure COVID-19 vaccines through global e-tender to be floated by Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL), two committees have been formed for  supervision of the same.

While a technical committee has been formed consisting of 10 members headed by the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET),  a managerial committee constituted with nine members headed by OSMCL MD for the purpose.

To vaccinate total 1,93,69,511 people aged between 18 and 44 years, the state needs to procure 3,87,39,022 doses of vaccines. The two manufacturing companies are supplying Covaxin and Covishield vaccines as per the Centre’s allocation. And , it will take months to complete the vaccination process if the two manufacturers– Bharat Biotech international and Serum Institute Life Science Pvt Ltd–continue to supply vaccines at the current pace. Hence, it has been decided to procure the vaccine from the open market through global tender by OSMCL, said an official statement.

While  OSMCL has placed a purchase order of 10.34 lakh doses of Covaxin for the third phase vaccination, manufacturing company  Bharat Biotech International has so far supplied 1.5 doses of the vaccine.  Similarly, only 1 lakh doses of Covishield have been received from Serum Institute as against the purchase order of 220 lakh doses of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, vaccination of people in 18-44 age category today commenced in four municipal corporation areas– Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur. Vaccination of the same age group beneficiaries had earlier begun in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area on May 3.