CMSS condoms order: Central procurement agency orders 350 million Nirodh condoms after negotiations held last month

After a lot dilly-dallying, the nation’s central procurement company, the Central Medical Providers Society (CMSS), set as much as streamline the procurement course of, has awarded tenders to obtain 350 million items of condoms, individuals within the know advised ET. “The CMSS lastly positioned orders for condom model Nirodh and deluxe condoms within the third and fourth week of December,” the particular person stated.

ET had reported on December 9 on how CMSS had failed to obtain condoms in a well timed method, severely impacting the nation’s household planning programme.

The All India Condom Producer Affiliation, which incorporates numerous firms that manufacture condom model Nirodh, had earlier written to the federal government highlighting haphazard dealing with of procurement by CMSS after it cancelled the condom tenders twice in 2023.

The tenders had been lastly awarded after negotiations held final month. “Lastly it was carried out simply earlier than the top of the 12 months. The CMSS had known as us for the worth negotiation and at last we may shut it after we diminished the worth,” he stated, including the tenders had been awarded after a whole lot of delay.

In 2023 the condom tenders have been cancelled twice. “There was a delay of 6-7 months in procurement of condoms. For the tender which was revealed final February, the availability ought to have been over by November. Nonetheless, the tender was cancelled and now the availability will go right down to July-August,” the identical particular person stated.

Of their letter to the well being ministry, the condom producer affiliation had earlier stated that because of advert hoc dealing with of tender work, many of the established condom producers like TTK, JK Ansel, and many others, have nearly shunned collaborating within the condom tenders of CMSS.

Nonetheless, the well being ministry stated that there was nothing to fret about. “The CMSS procured 58.8 million items of condoms for household planning programme in Might final 12 months. The well being ministry had held conferences to observe tendering course of and provide place of assorted medicines and medical gadgets,” it stated in a press release.