No credible vaccine bids yet, final decision in a day or two: BMC

A young man gets the jab at Jaslok hospital. Pic/Ashish Raje

The BMC administration admitted in the standing committee meeting on Wednesday that the tender process for procuring vaccines has hit a roadblock and it is still unclear how the stock will be supplied. The administration will take a final decision on the matter in two to three days.

A woman gets the jab at Nair hospital. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Prabhakar Shinde, group leader of the BJP, raised the issue of low vaccinations across the city in a meeting held on Wednesday. He asked, "What is the current status of the global tender issued by the corporation for the purchase of vaccines? In how many days will the vaccine be supplied?" He also asked about the rate and quantity of vaccines.

"If Mumbaikars are vaccinated immediately, a possible third wave can be prevented in time. As many as 80 per cent of vaccination centres in the city are closed today due to the non-availability of vaccines. This shows the planning of the vaccination has gone awry and the municipal administration should take immediate steps to make the vaccine available," said Shinde.

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While replying to this, Additional Municipal Commissioner P Velrasu said that the corporation received 11 responses to the global tender, one of the respondents has withdrawn. "Among the 10 respondents, none is a vaccine manufacturer. All respondents have claimed to deliver the Russian vaccine, Sputnik. However, none of the suppliers has been able to enter a contract with the vaccine manufacturer so far. And it is not clear how the vaccine will be supplied," Velrasu said. He added that the administration will take a final decision in two to three days.