BMC to announce a global tender to stockpile 50 lakh vaccine doses

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has revived its plan to buy vaccines for the city independently, has decided to award a global tender for the purchase of 50 lakh doses to boost Mumbai's immunizations.  BMC is set to end its rules on global tenders this week, officials said.  At a meeting with the party group leaders of the corporation, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Monday presented a proposal to purchase 50 lakh doses for approval in "principle". 

 

Mayor Kishori Pedneker went ahead with the proposal. BMC is ready to buy about 50 lakh doses for the vaccination drive in Mumbai.  In addition to the two Indian companies, four international companies (making the vaccine) can also participate.  This can be helpful as some of these are single-dose vaccines.  There was a discussion at the group leaders' meeting today and we all immediately agreed to the commissioner's suggestion,” Pednaker told a national daily.

 

Giving a lot of vaccines to Mumbai is a huge burden for the state government as it has to meet the needs of other corporations. Guardian Minister Aditya Thackeray is also leading the move.  He tweeted that BMC was exploring the possibility of stockpiling vaccines globally. 

 

"After discussing with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and realizing the need for adequate vaccines to ensure that vaccinations in the state are fast and effective, I asked the BMC to look into the possibility of stockpiling vaccines globally," Thackeray said. BMC had earlier abandoned plans to buy vaccines freely.  Chahal had said in an Idea Exchange with Indian Express last Thursday that the project should be abandoned as the state government had informed him that it would be distributed to all corporations. 

 

BMC sources said the change of heart to allow BMC to buy its vaccines could be linked to next year's BMC polls and the state government's poor financial health. The BMC has enough money to buy such a large stock of vaccines,” officials said, adding that it would help the army" fortify "the election. Mumbai is facing problems at immunization centers due to a shortage of vaccines and malfunctions of CO-WIN application. 

 

Mumbai has a population of 1.25 crore. So far only 27.31 lakh people have been vaccinated. Although the exact cost has not yet been determined, the purchase of the vaccine will fetch the BMC exchequer about Rs 400 crore, officials said.  The selected bidder should be given doses for 3 to 4 weeks. In addition to Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SIII), BMC is also monitoring vaccines from Pfizer, Modena, Sputnik, Johnson & Johnson, officials said. 

 

There will be multiple tenders, senior officials involved in the procurement process said. We are in the process of finalizing the tender conditions.  This is a public tender and the bidder will clarify about vaccines, trials, and imports from other countries,” Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) P Velres told a national daily.  The final company will have to do other compliance in India such as importation and obtaining the necessary registration.  Officials said the measure would help a large population in the city. 

 

The city needs vaccines worth Rs 1.50 crore for a population above 18 years.  We will gradually increase the capacity for daily vaccination,” said an official with BMC's health department. Despite repeated attempts, Municipal Commissioner IS Chahal was not available for comment.