Mumbai Gets Global Tender Amid Vaccine Shortage, Receives Bid For Pfizer, Sputnik & Other Jabs

This came as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) had earlier on May 12 floated global tenders to buy Covid vaccines at Rs 700 crore.

(Image: AFP)

Mumbai: With several states gradually floating global tender for Covid-19 vaccines in view of the surge in cases amid the second wave of the pandemic, there is good for Mumbai as the financial capital’s civic body has received bids for the supply of Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sputnik in response to its global tender for one crore doses.

This came as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) had earlier on May 12 floated global tenders to buy Covid vaccines at Rs 700 crore.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal informed that eight bids, including one bid for Pfizer/Astra Zeneca and the remaining seven bids for Sputnik, have been received till date in response to the “MCGM’s Global Expression of Interest for procurement of one crore vaccine doses”.

He added that any additional bid shall also be entertained.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope also while commenting on the issue of global tenders to procure Covid vaccines told the media that the state government has got a response from few companies, including Pfizer, Sputnik and AstraZeneca.

Struggling to tackle the surge in Covid-19 cases, several other states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, too have floated global tender for jabs.

Several other states, including West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Punjab, are, however, yet to take a call on floating global tender for vaccines.