November 10, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s emergency medical response network is expected to receive a significant boost following India’s decision to provide financial assistance for the purchase of 100 new ambulances for the islandwide 1990 Suwa Seriya service.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening the country’s pre-hospital emergency care system and addressing the growing maintenance difficulties affecting the existing ambulance fleet.
To facilitate the funding arrangement, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the governments of Sri Lanka and India, paving the way for the proposed grant.
The 1990 Suwa Seriya service was launched in 2016 with financial support from India before being extended across the entire country in 2018. Since its establishment, it has become an important component of Sri Lanka’s public healthcare network, providing free emergency ambulance services throughout the day and night.
The service currently responds to between 1,000 and 1,200 patient transportation requests daily, highlighting the considerable demand placed on its operations.
Its fleet travels approximately nine million kilometres every year, undertaking emergency call-outs and transporting patients to medical facilities across all districts.
However, the increasing frequency of mechanical breakdowns among the existing 322 ambulances has raised concerns over the long-term reliability and operational efficiency of the service, according to the Department of Government Information.
The addition of 100 modern ambulances is therefore expected to ease pressure on the ageing fleet, improve operational readiness and help maintain uninterrupted emergency medical coverage.
The new vehicles will be equipped with comprehensive medical facilities, enabling emergency personnel to provide essential care while transporting patients to hospitals.
The proposal to secure the Indian grant and formalise the arrangement through an MoU was submitted to the Cabinet by the Minister of Health and Mass Media.
With Cabinet approval now granted, the proposed assistance marks another step in the continued cooperation between India and Sri Lanka in strengthening essential public healthcare services.
The expansion and modernisation of the ambulance fleet are expected to play an important role in improving emergency response capabilities and ensuring that patients can access timely medical assistance, regardless of where they live.