Madhya Pradesh government to float global tender for 1 crore COVID-19 vaccines, Madhya Pradesh High Court told

The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday informed the Madhya Pradesh High Court that it will be floating a global tender to procure one crore COVID-19 vaccines. .Upon being informed that international vaccine companies were slow in responding to calls for supplying vaccines in India, the Court has also requested the Central Government to consider relaxing the drug approval procedure. .This is to ensure that international players, approved by WHO and other international agencies like USFDA, EMA etc. get interested in supplying vaccines. .The Court asked the Centre to consider giving some window to international vaccine manufacturers like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, which have approvals from WHO, USFDA, EMA and other such reputed international authorities..A Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Atul Sreedharan was hearing a PIL seeking the issuance of a global tender by the State of Madhya Pradesh for meeting the vaccine requirement of its 8 crore population on an urgent basis. .The petition was filed by advocate, Sunil Gupta, a member of the Madhya Pradesh State Bar Council Member and Former Vice Chairman of the Bar Council of India. .Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Siddharth R Gupta argued that the State must at least float a global tender for 4 crore vaccines as has been done by other States of the country in proportion to the needs of their population..The State on Monday gave an undertaking to immediately procure around one crore vaccines by floating a global tender. .It also filed a detailed affidavit stating the measures, including for vaccine procurement from the Central Government and directly from international manufacturers..The petitioner however expressed concern that a global tender for the procurement of 1 crore vaccines may not be enough. It was argued that "it's like a drop in the desert where the whole population waiting to be inoculated, that too double doses." .Advocate General Purushendra Kaurav assured the Court that the global tender is being floated on a pilot basis for a limited quantity of 1 crore vaccines. If this succeeds, then the package would be amplified for a larger procurement of 3- 4 crore vaccines, he added..Arguing that the process is now taking place at a snail's pace, the petitioner has also prayed for the implementation of the ‘State Immunization Plan’ for ensuring the time-bound delivery of vaccines in the State. .The matter has been fixed for further hearing in the next week.