After Serum Institute hesitates, CM intervenes for vaccine supply

PANJIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday spoke to the Serum Institute of India, Pune, requesting them to supply five lakh vaccine doses for vaccination of persons aged between 18 and 44 years in Goa from May 1.

The intervention was necessitated after Serum Institute had communicated to the State that at present they were not in a position to supply the requirement due to their pending prior commitments of the Central government.

After chairing a meeting with revenue officers on COVID-19 management to ensure stricter enforcement of norms in the State, Sawant said, “I am continuously following the matter. I personally spoke to Poonawalla of Serum Institute and requested him to supply us first consignment of five lakh vaccines on priority so that we can start vaccinating persons aged between 18 and 44 years from May 1.”

The Chief Minister said that the Serum Institute chief executive officer (CEO) promised him that they will supply the first consignment of vaccines to Goa at the earliest and once it is received, the government will start vaccinating persons aged between 18 and 44 years from May 1. 

Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has placed an order for five lakh doses of Covishield with Serum Institute as per the Government of India policy at the declared price.

Earlier, addressing media persons, DHS director Dr Jose D’Sa said that Serum Institute had communicated that they were not in a position to supply the requirement due to their pending prior commitments of the Central government.

“Once, the Government of India requirement is fulfilled, only then the Institute will release the doses to the State,” D’Sa had said. 

He had said that once the doses are received they would commence the vaccination drive for the age group. “We cannot assure at this point whether the roll out will be from May 1 or not. It all depends on the supply of the doses,” he had said. 

D’Sa said the request for Covaxin is also pending due to similar reasons. 

“The Central government will release 50 per cent of quota, which will be used only to vaccinate those above 45 years. The doses cannot be diverted. For age group of 18 to 44, States were asked to place their individual orders,” he explained. 

The State government intends to purchase 15 lakh doses at a cost of Rs 60 crore and has decided to provide vaccine doses to all in the age group of 18 to 44 free of cost. 

D’Sa said guidelines on the phase 3 roll out will be issued by the Central government by April 30. 

As on Monday 3,03,709 vaccine doses have been administered in the State. 

Asked whether the government has ordered a fire safety audit of all government hospitals in the State in the wake of tragic fire incidents in COVID hospitals in neighbouring Maharashtra, the Chief Minister said that he has already instructed the Goa Fire and Emergency Services to station a fire tender and staff outside the Goa Medical College (GMC), Bambolim and all sub-district hospitals the government hospitals 24×7 to avoid such incidents by ensuring safety regulations.