Odisha: Vaccine tender opening date extended

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has extended the global e-tender date by seven days in view of requests from many prospective vendors and due to the cyclone. This global e-tender is floated through state PSU Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL) to procure Covid-19 vaccines to inoculate people in the 18-44 years’ age group at a faster pace.
Last date for submission of online bids was 10am on Friday. Opening of the price bid was scheduled at 5pm on the same day. But the state government has given a new date for the bidders to submit their online bid. Now the end date and time of online submissions is 10am on June 4. Online technical bid will be opened at 11.30am on June 4, while price bid will be opened at 5pm on the same day.
On May 10, the state cabinet chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik had given approval to float a global tender to procure Covid-19 vaccines. The cabinet had also resolved to move the Centre for exemption of GST on vaccines, medicines and consumables for Covid-19.
Odisha has 1.93 crore people in the 18-44 year age group. For two doses each, the state needs 3.87 crore doses. The state has placed orders of 2.2 crore Covishield with SII and 10.34 lakh doses of Covaxin with Bharat Biotech. But it has received a few lakhs of doses. As a result, the state has not been able to roll out vaccination across the state.
The state has calculated that at the rate fixed by Bharat Biotech and SII it would pay Rs 1172 crore towards vaccines for the 18-44 years age group with a GST component of Rs 156.72 crore.
Till Thursday, a total of 73, 78,197 doses (66, 16,111 Covishield and 7, 62,086 Covaxin) have been administered to people of the state. Out of which 6, 06,267 healthcare workers, 4, 51,550 frontline workers, 57, 78,095 doses for people of 45+ age group, 5, 42,285 doses for 18+ age group beneficiaries.