Politics · Sri Lanka Bureau
India to supply 100 new ambulances to Sri Lanka's emergency service
India and Sri Lanka have signed a memorandum of understanding to provide 100 additional ambulances for the Suwa Sariya National Emergency Ambulance Service. The move aims to strengthen the island's pre-hospital emergency response network.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
The two countries have formalized their commitment through a memorandum of understanding to enhance Sri Lanka's emergency medical transport capacity, according to official sources. The 100 new ambulances will be added to the existing fleet of the Suwa Sariya service, which operates as a free, round-the-clock emergency response system across all districts.
The Suwa Sariya National Pre-hospital Emergency Ambulance Service was established in 2016 with financial support from the Indian Government. The service, which was expanded nationwide in 2018, currently handles between 1,000 and 1,200 emergency calls daily, serving as a critical component of Sri Lanka's emergency healthcare infrastructure.
The ambulance service operates without charge to users and provides 24-hour coverage across the country's provinces. The procurement of additional vehicles through the India-Sri Lanka agreement is expected to reduce response times and improve accessibility to emergency medical care in underserved areas.
This latest cooperation underscores the deepening bilateral healthcare collaboration between New Delhi and Colombo, reflecting shared commitment to strengthening public health systems in the region.