State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and Covid Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle said Suwaseriya has received 4,170,125 calls for assistance during its five years and has contributed to 903,438 occasions including hospitalisations of patients. She said since the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak, Suwaseriya has contributed to the transportation of 67,962 Covid-19 positive patients to hospitals.
Issuing a message to mark the fifth anniversary of the Suwaseriya Ambulance Service which fell on July 28, State Minister Fernandopulle said through the 1990 Suwaseriya, the team has been able to provide a great service to the urban and rural population throughout Sri Lanka, receiving over 5,000 calls and hospitalisation of over a thousand patients per day. She said Suwaseriya has a staff of 1,394 and 297 ambulances. The State Minister said the President has focused on increasing its capacity. Arrangements are being made to add 112 new ambulances to the present fleet, she said.
Suwaseriya is not just a fleet of ambulances with the ability to manage emergencies, including first aid, they are a team of trained staff with commitment, accountability and responsibility, she said. She said the 1990 Suwaseriya is a well-organised healthcare service providing excellent patient care to the people in Sri Lanka. I am honoured to be able to lead a service that provides such a service and is close to the public.
She said although the ambulance service in the country often took patients from one hospital to another, there was no facility to transport patients from home to a hospital. This facility is provided through the 1990 Suwaseriya which is a free service. The Suwaseriya team is committed to transporting critically ill patients to a hospital in less than 12 minutes and has a specialised system in place.
“The Suwaseriya service has won the trust of the people at the grassroots level of the country. On the occasion of the fifth Anniversary, I would like to extend my congratulations to all those who contributed to the launch of this service and to the staff, including the Chairman and the Board of Directors. I also take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all those who have unwaveringly served Covid-19 positive patients,” State Minister Fernandopulle said.