EMS provider Falck exits citing commercial unviability

6 October 2015 02:56 am

The world’s leading emergency medical service (EMS) company Falck announced that it would be halting its Sri Lankan operations at the end of October.
“Falck can no longer sustain its business within the country as a commercial operation. After much deliberation, it has been decided by the Board of Directors to cease its operations in Sri Lanka,” a company statement said.

Falck entered Sri Lanka in 2013 when local EMS operations were in their infancy.
“In the process, we have elevated the standards and values of immediate response to medical situations. Falck worked amidst the challenges of extremely low levels of public awareness regarding EMS,” the statement further said.

The company added that it had attempted to increase awareness but the response had been inadequate for commercial operations.    
                      
However, Falck praised the Sri Lankan government for setting up a free EMS service in partnership with the Indian government, which will eventually cover the whole island.

“We are indeed exhilarated that the government is offering this essential service free of charge to all citizens of Sri Lanka. This indeed is a turning point in EMS within the country and Falck is proud to have set the benchmark for quality and respect for human life and its medical emergencies,” it said.

The current paid members of Falck Sri Lanka could refund the residual values of the memberships before November 30 by emailing the company or visiting its head office, while mobile subscribers will be disconnected immediately.