Flu vaccine for almost 23.000 citizens

The pharmacy institution "Montefarm" will purchase 22.700 doses of seasonal flu vaccine in the next month, and the state will allocate nearly 160.000 euros for this.

"Montefarm" announced a tender for the procurement of the vaccine a month ago, and the day before yesterday it was decided that the offer of the pharmaceutical company "Farmalab" was correct and the most favorable. The flu vaccine, which is recommended for people over 65, chronically ill, health workers, but also pregnant women and children aged six months to five years, should be delivered no later than October 15. This year, 31 people died as a result of the flu in Montenegro.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), between 290 and 650.000 people die from the flu every year in the world. Since 2009, when the influenza pandemic was recorded, the virus has appeared seasonally, in the form of epidemics, every year in the world. The WHO announced this year that "we should not ask if there will be the next flu pandemic, but when it will happen". Experts claim that the vaccine is the most effective measure to prevent this virus. "Montefarm" acquired 23.750 doses of vaccine last year, and 2017 in 18.580. Two companies - "Farmalab" and "Glosarij" applied for the tender of that institution.

In "Montefarm" they determined that the offer of "Farmalab" is correct and the most favorable. On the other hand, the offer of "Glossary" was incorrect, because that company offered a vaccine for the population aged three years and older, which is not in accordance with the tender and the rulebook, which stipulates that vaccination should be carried out in people older than six months with chronic disorders of the respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, HIV virus, AIDS, and those with transplanted organs.

"The bidder stated in the offer that for the population of children aged six to 36 months, they will deliver a trivalent flu vaccine in the amount of 150 doses free of charge. Given that the trivalent vaccine was not requested in the tender documentation and that it is unclear on the basis of which tender requirements the quantity of these vaccines of 150 doses was offered, and that trivalent vaccines are not the subject of the procurement of the procedure in question, and the submitted offer is not in accordance with this part either tender requests", stated from "Montefarm". Among other things, "Montefarm" asked the bidders to deliver the vaccine at once and that at that moment the term of use should not be shorter than three quarters of the total term. Also, it is necessary for the bidder for each batch of vaccine to submit a certificate of analysis issued by the manufacturer and the national drug agency or drug control laboratory of the EU, USA, Canada, Norway, Switzerland and the countries of the former SFRY, confirmation by the competent authority that the vaccine has permission to be placed into circulation in the country of manufacture and that it was produced according to strict standards that ensure quality.