India on Wednesday signed an agreement with Sri Lanka to provide 100 additional ambulances under a grant assistance package of USD 5.28 million, further expanding the island nation's free emergency medical response service, the Indian High Commission said.
The grant agreement was signed and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchanged in the presence of Union Health Minister JP Nadda, who is visiting Colombo to attend the first BIMSTEC Health Ministers' Meeting.
The additional ambulances will strengthen Sri Lanka's 1990 Suwa Seriya emergency ambulance service, increasing its fleet from 322 to 422 vehicles.
The India-assisted service provides free emergency medical transportation across Sri Lanka and is estimated to respond to approximately 1,000 to 1,200 patient-transfer calls every day.
The Indian High Commission described the initiative as a significant example of bilateral development cooperation delivering direct benefits to the people of Sri Lanka.
๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐
The ambulance service was established following a request made by the Sri Lankan government during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the island nation in March 2015.
The India-assisted emergency response service was initially launched in July 2016 in Sri Lanka's Western and Southern Provinces with grant assistance of USD 7.5 million.
The first phase included the provision of 88 ambulances, operational expenditure for one year and the establishment of an emergency response centre.
The initiative was subsequently expanded nationwide in July 2018 by Prime Minister Modi and then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The second phase received additional Indian grant assistance of USD 15.02 million, covering 209 ambulances, operational expenses and training costs.
Over the years, the service has developed into a nationwide emergency medical transportation network, providing ambulance assistance without charging patients.
The latest agreement will add another 100 vehicles to the existing fleet, further strengthening the service's capacity to respond to medical emergencies.
๐๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
In a post on X, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka described the ambulance programme as a "shining example of IndiaโSri Lanka development partnership delivering tangible benefits to people".
The initiative forms part of India's development assistance to Sri Lanka, particularly in the healthcare sector, where emergency medical transportation remains an essential public service.
The expansion is expected to increase the availability of ambulances and strengthen emergency response capabilities across the island nation.
Nadda's visit to Colombo also coincides with the first meeting of health ministers from the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
BIMSTEC is a seven-member regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The grouping seeks to strengthen regional cooperation across several sectors, including healthcare, connectivity, trade and development.
The latest ambulance grant underscores the continuing role of healthcare cooperation in India-Sri Lanka relations, with the expanded emergency service expected to benefit patients requiring urgent medical assistance across the country.