A Romanian agency stated it will present Pfizer Kovid vaccines to Mumbai, however withdrew its bid after Pfizer stated it had no approved brokers; Firms engaged in meals merchandise, attire, consultancy quite than vaccines; One that’s related to media and movie manufacturing – a motivational group of corporations has responded to the expression of worldwide curiosity by Maharashtra and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for five crore and 1 crore vaccines respectively.
This comes as many states challenge international tenders and, on the identical time, underline that the middle can buy vaccines quite than compete within the international market.
The eight companies that responded to Maharashtra’s name, The Indian Express discovered, are both consultancy companies concerned in exports / imports, or companies that function on a fee foundation – solely three are within the well being sector. They have quoted between $ 10-38 (Rs. 728-2767) for a single dose. “Some people also assured supply within three weeks of placing the advance order,” stated a senior official.
This appears simpler stated than finished.
Maharashtra obtained responses from three Indian corporations: GameChangerz; Tapadia International Interventional Technology and Healthcare Limited; And GetIt Innovations Private Ltd. Companies based mostly exterior India embody ProcureNet, Kinfolk Trading FZC, Grupo Fermexor, Medical Supply Company of Switzerland (MSCS) and Hadley Development LLC.
The three Indian corporations have claimed that they’ll provide the Russian vaccine Sputnik V. A spokesman for the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which handles Sputnik, stated that they don’t have any formal settlement in India aside from Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories.
GameChangerz is a administration consultancy agency specializing in car, style, meals and telecom. In an electronic mail response, founder Jagat Jeet Singh stated: “We can enable the import of Sputnik V. Game Changers CDP is representing Swiss, a distributor of RDIF.”
Pune-based Tapadia International, a four-year-old firm, does wholesale and commission-based buying and selling and offers in pharmaceutical and medical tools. Records present that in 2020 its income was Rs 6.19 crore and a lack of Rs 1.99 crore. It didn’t reply to an electronic mail for remark.
GetIt Innovations is a Delhi-based agency that makes a speciality of media, movie manufacturing and communications as per its data. Its promoters are Sanjeev Narula and Rachna Narula. Its report reveals that it has not earned any income from operations since 2017, besides 2019, when it made gross sales of Rs 4.12 lakh. Rachna Narula refused to remark.
Mexican firm Grupo Fermaxer claimed that it may present Sputnik V, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer-BioNtech and Astra Genica vaccines. However, a Pfizer spokesperson stated: “Neither Pfizer Inc. nor any of its affiliates globally, including India, has authorized anyone to import / market / distribute the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID 19 vaccine. We are in constant discussion with the Government of India towards making our vaccine available for use at the national level. ”
Moderna, AstraZeneca and J&J didn’t reply to an electronic mail question.
An electronic mail was additionally despatched to Grupo Fermaxer, no response was obtained. All different corporations have claimed that they’ll provide Sputnik, though the Russian unit has not but offered any particulars of its brokers.
Kinfolk Trading is a United Arab Emirates based mostly worldwide import / export company dealing in meals merchandise and IT options. Australia-based ProcureNET makes a speciality of buying, logistics and stock. MCSC (Switzerland) handles the procurement of medical tools, medical merchandise and provides to the federal government and hospitals. Hadley Development, based mostly within the US, works on provide chains to deal with retail for international manufacturers, most notably in attire.
Officials stated the Maharashtra authorities plans to carry a video convention with the businesses this week to know their schedule and discover out if they’ve agreements with vaccine producers to purchase the inventory. The state can also be planning to achieve out to the middle to analyze these corporations.
Meanwhile, Romania-based O2 Blue Energy SRL responded to BMC on Tuesday that it may assist provide Pfizer-BioNotech and AstraZeneca vaccines. On the identical day, Pfizer-BioNotech stated it had not approved anybody to import, market and distribute its vaccines.
“On Thursday, the firm sent us an email informing them that they were withdrawing their bids. No reason has been given to withdraw the proposal, ”stated a BMC official.
Now, BMC has seven proposals left and all these companies have stated that they’ll facilitate the provision of Russian Sputnik V and Sputnik V Lite. BMC and Maharashtra authorities have written to RDIF for direct buy of vaccines however haven’t obtained any response but.
BMC can also be awaiting a response from the Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune. “Last week, we sent an email to SII with its EOI copy (for vaccines) seeking their participation in the tender. So far no response has come from their side,” an official stated.
Officials stated they anticipated to obtain extra bids because the submission deadline has been prolonged to June 1.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
