Moderna And Johnson & Johnson May Participate In Yogi Govt's Global Tender To Procure 40 Million Covid Vaccine Doses

A week after floating a global tender to procure 40 million Covid-19 vaccines, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government is optimistic about participation of foreign vaccine manufacturers like Moderna and Johnson & Johnson in the global bid.

Sources in the UP government told ThePrint that they have got feelers that these foreign vaccine manufacturers may participate in the global bid.

“These manufacturers have vaccine stock. It’s quite possible for them to supply. We are hopeful that other Covid vaccines manufacturers will participate in the bid,” said a source.

“Only those vaccine manufacturers who have been approved by the Government of India, or who will get approval in the coming days, will be selected,” UP Additional Chief Secretary (Information and MSME) Navneet Sehgal told ThePrint.

Currently Sputnik V, developed by Russia’s Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, is the only foreign-made vaccine that has been approved by Indian government for production and use in the country.

A short term global e-tender has been floated by the Uttar Pradesh Medical Supplies Corporation Limited and bidders are expected to submit the same by 21 May.

The state government has announced that it will administer the Covid-19 vaccine to adults aged above 18, free of cost.

On the other hand amid the Covid-19 surge, vaccine production in India is growing at rapid pace.

The World's largest vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII), will increase the monthly production of Covishield to 10 crore doses next month.

Bharat Biotech producer of Covaxin is set to increase the production to 6 crore doses by August, from one crore as of now.

The government of India has also chalked up a plan with Bharat Biotech to further increase its output by involving some of the Public Sector Units (PSUs) to raise production.