Karnataka to get 2 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses through global tender

The Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to procure two crore COVID-19 vaccine doses through global tender.

Deputy Chief Minister and state COVID task force head Dr CN Ashwath Narayan said that to meet the increased demand and to facilitate vaccination of the age group of 18-44 years, 2 crore COVID vaccines will be procured through a global tender.

"In addition to this an order has been placed for three crore vaccines which include one crore Covaxin and two crores Covishield," he informed.

"Till now we had depended only on vaccines supplied by the central government and it was not procured from the open market by floating tender. Now, it has been instructed to float the tender and to complete the process within seven days," said Narayan.

Apart from this, the authorities have also been instructed to procure one lakh pulse oximeters and distribute them to all the districts and taluks.

"It will be the responsibility of the district health officers and taluk health officers to collect back the pulse oximeters back after the infected user gets cured. Later they will be used for creating a pulse oximeter bank," said Deputy CM.

Narayan also said that 10 lakhs tablets of Ivermectin have been procured for COVID-19 patients and its supply will begin on May 14.

"It has been also asked to further procure 25 lakh tablets and should be made available in all hospitals across the state. 35 lakh zinc tablets and one crore calcigen tablets will be procured and will be made available in all district hospitals, taluk hospitals, PHCs, and community health centers," he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister further said that the state currently has a stock of 10.50 lakh Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) kits and this will be enough for seven days. "50,000 RAT kits is being supplied every day. In addition to this, it has directed to procure 37 lakh RTPCR kits," he added.

He further said that triaging would be made mandatory to avoid unnecessary occupancy of beds and requested the urban people not to go to villages to get vaccinated.

This decision was taken at a high-level meeting in which Javed Akhtar, ASC, Department of Health, Anjum Parvez, In-Charge, Drugs Procurement, Lata Kumari, MD, State Medical Supplies Corporation, Om Prakash Patil, Director, Department of Health were also present.