If there’s have to float international tender for COVID-19 vaccines, Centre ought to do it: Delhi well being min

Amid the worrying scarcity of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the nation, Delhi well being minister Satyendar Jain on Friday stated if there’s a have to float a world tender, it must be achieved by the Central authorities.

“Through a global tender, we can only procure Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V vaccines in the country. If there is a need for a global tender then it should be done by the Central government,” Jain stated.

Over the previous few days, state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), amongst others, have spoken of floating international tenders amid the scarcity of vaccine and rising COVID-19 instances.

The minister stated if all states issued separate international tenders, vaccine firms would give completely different costs to every state primarily based on negotiation and states will begin competing with one another.

“The country has at least 30 companies that can manufacture enough for the whole country. The Centre is telling us that we have sent our country’s vaccines abroad, now we have to buy vaccines from outside. This is very strange,” he stated.

Several inoculation facilities throughout the nation, together with over 100 within the nationwide capital, have been compelled to shut as a consequence of this scarcity.

The well being minister additional urged the Centre to share the system for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine to different producers.