The island-wide expansion of the Emergency Ambulance Service was started with the launch in Jaffna in July 2018 wherein Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi joined Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe through a live video conference from New Delhi.
An additional grant amount of US$ 15.02 million was provided by India to undertake island-wide expansion which covered purchase of 209 ambulances, operational expenditure of the service for one year and training costs.
The service has been available in Northern Province since July 2018; in Uva since August 2018; in North Central Province since September; in North Western Province since October; Central Province since November 2018; and in Sabaragamuwa Province since January 2019.
Now the Emergency Ambulance Service was launched in the Eastern Province in a special ceremony held on 23June 2019 in Ampara.
Hon. Daya Gamage, Minister of Primary Industries and Social Empowerment;. Dr. Harsha de Silva Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution; Taranjit Singh Sandhu, High Commissioner of India, and other dignitaries graced the occasion.
With this, the island-wide expansion of the Emergency Ambulance Service is now being complete. The service is now available in all nine Provinces of Sri Lanka.
External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar addressed the gathering through a special video message.
Dr. S. Jaishankar noted that the service has become a brand in itself. He also recalled how the service had helped Sri Lanka during floods and the recent terrorist attacks.
High Commissioner of India, Taranjit Singh Sandhu in his address, mentioned that the project symbolizes the spirit of India, which is nothing but the spirit of sharing. He also noted that India will forever remain the ‘First Responder for Sri Lanka’.
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