Theft, insurance, packaging and sensors: the government has already paid 760 million pesos in logistics to bring in vaccines against the coronavirus

The provision of vaccines to deal with the coronavirus pandemic represents a multi-million dollar effort for the government not only for the purchase of doses itself, but also includes other related expenses such as for example theft, insurance of the cargo, the sensors temperature and formalities boarding. A series of articles for which Argentina has already paid 760 million pesos.

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So far, and in accordance with the authorizations published in the Official Journal, the Ministry of Health has approved the payment of 38 invoices to three suppliers different people involved in logistics to bring vaccines Sputnik V from Moscow and Sinopharm of Beijing, as well as the Covishield from India. The companies in question are Aerolineas Argentinas, DHL and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.

In total, the portfolio led by Carla Vizzotti authorized the payment of 5,686,226.88 dollars and 1,643,373.14 euros: At the official exchange rate, the account gives approximately 760 million pesos (Invoices are paid “at the exchange rate of the Banco Nación sales ticket the day before the actual accumulation of the expense”).

Obviously, the highest cost in this regard was that of air freight, carried out by national carrier: in total, bagged so far $ 5,297,705.94 for 16 flights (twelve to Russia and four to China). The average cost of each flight to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Terminal was $ 298,800, while the journeys to Beijing-Daxing airport remained unchanged, still in 428 million US dollars.

Meanwhile, the local branch of German private messaging DHL billed a total of 1,643,373.14 euros and 82,719.66 dollars for their role in the logistics to bring in the Sputnik V vaccines from Russia: in European currency, they went to collect the “exclusive packaging services, temperature sensors, management and coordination with the airline company, ‘expedition, among others’. Whereas in the American ticket, “cargo insurance” was billed, ie the doses of the first and / or second component that were carried on each flight.

The cost of DHL services varied according to the number of doses carried by the Airbus 330-200 of Aerolineas Argentinas: the highest insurance expense was $ 18,433.55, while in what it was made for packaging and sensors the maximum bill was 289,572.01 euros (Both amounts corresponded to flight AR1065 of April 30, which delivered 765,545 doses of component 1 of Sputnik V).

Finally the company Hellmann Global Logistics, whose parent company is also in Germany, took charge of the “logistics service (rental and collection of Envirotainer containers of the latest technology, with active temperature controls to ensure cold storage between 2 and 8 ° C, supply of temperature sensors, packaging service for vaccines on pallets) and cargo in Envirotainer, cargo) pick-up and delivery at the airport, preparation and examination of shipping documents, coordination of operations on the runway with terminal and customs fees) ”on four flights from China, where Sinopharm vaccine doses have been loaded.

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In addition, the company also took care of the ‘Bombay-Ezeiza air freight service, issuance of boarding documents, services at the originating airport, insurance and coordination with the airline on the flight. QR8351 / 16- QR8155 / 16 of February 15, 2021 from Mumbai, Republic of India ”, when the Covishield vaccines were introduced.