A nurse prepares a shot of the Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19 as people over age 40 get vaccinated at the American Institute school in La Paz, Bolivia. (Representational image)
As India ramps up vaccine production and states float tenders for acquiring additional jabs to speed up the inoculation drive in the country and fight pandemic, the Haryana government on Saturday informed that an international pharma company has given an expression of interest to provide upto 60 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine at a cost of Rs 1,120 per dose.
"An international pharma company has given an expression of interest to provide up to 60 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine. Per dose cost will be nearly Rs 1,120. The firm has given a timeline of 30 days to supply first batch of 5 lakh doses followed by 1 million doses every 20 days," Haryana government said.
However, the government added that the offer has come after the due date of tender is over but it is still examining if the pharma company can meet the criteria.
"Although the offer has come after the due date of tender is over but still, it is being carefully examined to see if it meets the criteria of the tender document and to ensure optimal vaccine availability for the state," said Rajeev Arora, Additional Chief Secretary, Health in Haryana.
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Haryana on Saturday reported 59 COVID-19 deaths and 723 fresh positive cases, taking the number of fatalities and cases to 8,664 and 7,61,637 respectively.
According to the health department, the latest deaths include five each in Bhiwani, Rewari and Hisar and four each in the districts of Panipat, Sirsa, Jhajjar and Jind.
Hisar reported the highest cases at 75, followed by Yamunanagar (67) and Panchkula (66). The total number of active cases in the state was 9,974 and the number of recoveries was 7,42,999.
The recovery rate was 97.55 percent. The cumulative positivity rate was 8.26 percent, the health bulletin said.
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Denying any inequity in the distribution of Covid vaccines, the Centre said on Saturday that private hospitals received over 1.20 crore vaccine doses in the month of May.
The Union Health Ministry emphasised that the government of India, in close partnership with all the states and Union Territories (UTs), is running one of the largest Covid-19 vaccination drives in the world since January 16.
"Some media reports have alleged inequity in India's vaccination drive. These reports are inaccurate and speculative in nature," the Health Ministry said.
The Health Ministry said that a ‘Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy' was adopted on May 1, which is guiding the ongoing Phase-III of the vaccination drive.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
