The Punjab government on Monday said that after Moderna, Pfizer has also refused to send its vaccine directly to it as, according to their policy, they only dealt with the Government of India.
Punjab’s nodal officer for vaccination Vikas Garg said that Pfizer in its communication said, “Pfizer is working with Federal Governments across the world to supply its Covid-19 vaccine for use in National Immunisation programs. Our supply agreements at this time are with National Governments and Supra-national organisations with allocation of doses and implementation within the country being a decision that Governments take based on relevant health authority guidance. This approach Pfizer has followed across the world.”
Mr. Garg said that all vaccine manufacturers have been approached by the State government for direct purchase, including Sputnik V, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson, as per the directions of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to explore possibilities of floating a global tender for the procurement of vaccines from all possible sources to ensure early inoculation in the State, which still hoped for a positive reply from Sputnik V and Johnson & Johnson.
The State government was forced to stop vaccination for Phase I and Phase 2 in the last three days because of non-availability of vaccines. All efforts would be made for procurement of vaccines to meet the acute shortage. The State had received about 45.3 lakh vaccine doses so far from the Government of India, added Mr. Garg.
