No global tender yet for vax, says Maharashtra chief secretary

PUNE: Maharashtra chief secretary Sitaram Kunte on Wednesday said they were still exploring the availability of vaccines in the country and hence did not float the global tender for acquiring the shots for the third phase of the inoculation drive for 18-44 years age group.
“At present, we are ready to give Covishield and Covaxin in the state, subject to quantities of doses made available by their manufacturers under the rules set by the Centre,” the chief secretary, who heads the state committee for floating global tenders for vaccines, remdesivir and oxygen, told TOI.
Kunte said the other vaccine options were being studied. “Some vaccines have cold chain requirements that may not be available in the interior parts of the state. We have to study those aspects in greater details before arriving at a conclusion,” he said, adding that the state would be open to other options as and when they become available with no logistical issues. “We will talk to experts too about it,” he said.
State health minister Rajesh Tope too said on Wednesday that the state would ready the cold chain facilities, if needed, by ramping up the existing infrastructure. “We are checking the availability of the existing vaccines in the country and will be open to foreign vaccines too,” the minister said, while expressing concerns over the indemnity clause for these vaccines and the temperatures required for them.
He said the Centre should speed up the immunisation drive with the disbursement of Sputnik V vaccine to the state.
Niti Aayog member Dr Vinod Paul had earlier told TOI that even if the vaccines had to be stored in very low temperatures, it could be done in the urban areas as the need of the hour was more vaccines.
The Centre has allowed granting of emergency licence for vaccines approved by the US, the UK, Europe, Japan, or the WHO. However, unlike many other countries, India does not offer any liability shield and vaccine makers will be held liable for any complications or adverse effects that arise from the administration of their jabs, experts said.