1990 ambulance service now countrywide

With the launch of the 1990 Suwaseriya Ambulance Service in the Eastern Province today, the service was now available in all nine provinces of the country, officials said.

The ambulance service was launched in the Eastern Province in a special ceremony held in Ampara today.

Ministers Dr Harsha de Silva, Daya Gamage, Deputy Minister Anoma Gamage and High Commissioner of India Taranjit Singh Sandhu graced the occasion. External Affairs Minister of India Dr S. Jaishankar, who addressed the gathering through a special video message, noted that the service had become a brand in itself.

He also recalled how the service had helped Sri Lanka during floods and the recent terrorist attacks. He also pointed out that the project was a great example of what India and Sri Lanka can achieve together.

The island-wide expansion of the emergency ambulance service was started with the launch in Jaffna in July last year.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Sri Lanka in March 2015, to launch a pre-hospital emergency ambulance service in Sri Lanka.