Venkatachari Jagannathan
Chennai
Tamil Nadu government’s global tender for 3.5 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccine does not restrict Chinese vaccine makers from bidding, said an official.
“We are allowing every product (vaccine) as long as it is approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and licensed by the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI),” a senior official told IANS.
According to the official, about 6 vaccines have been approved by WHO and 3 by DCGI.
On the other hand, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in its 1 crore vaccine dose tender has disqualified companies located in countries sharing borders with India from participating in the bid, thus disqualifying Chinese vaccine manufacturers.
The only restrictions specified in the tender issued by Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation Ltd are:
(a) the bidder’s vaccine should be approved by WHO and licensed for use in India by DCGI on the day of bidding.
In case the vaccine is approved by WHO but not approved by the DCGI on the day of bidding then purchase is subject to the issue of license/approval by DCGI.
(b) The vaccine storage temperature specification should be “2-8°C. Do not freeze.
(c) If bid is made by a vaccine manufacturer then it should either directly or through any other authorised dealer must have supplied to the extent of at least 200 million doses, in any one of the last 2 years to any country in the world, of which at least 50 million doses should have been supplied in the last year; and,
(d) In case the bidder is not a manufacturer, then he as authorised by the manufacturer must have supplied goods similar to the extent of at least 50 million doses in any one of the last two years to any country in the world, of which at least 25 million doses should have been supplied in the last year.
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