Narendra Modi Flags Off Emergency Ambulance Service for Sri Lanka via Video Conferencing From New Delhi, Says Fulfilled Promise in Timely Manner
Sri Lanka thanked PM Modi for giving a grant of USD 22.8 million for running free emergency ambulance service in the island nation. Sri Lanka's state minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Harsha de Silva told the parliament that Modi had come to Sri Lanka in March 2015 and said that "he wished to provide a grant to Sri Lanka"
New Delhi, July 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday flagged off the National Emergency Ambulance service all over Sri Lanka through video conferencing. While PM Modi launched the service from New Delhi through video conferencing, Wickremesinghe joined the launch from an inaugural function scheduled in Jaffna.
"I am happy that this is the occasion when the National Emergency Ambulance service is being extended all over Sri Lanka. This event marks another major achievement in the development partnership of India and Sri Lanka", PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister said during his visit last year, he had promised that India will work for expanding the pre-hospital Emergency Ambulance Service all over Sri Lanka. "I am happy that India has fulfilled its promise in a timely manner & we have marked the beginning of the 2nd phase of the Service", the Prime Minister added.
Sri Lanka thanked PM Modi for giving a grant of USD 22.8 million for running free emergency ambulance service in the island nation. Sri Lanka's state minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Harsha de Silva told the parliament that Modi had come to Sri Lanka in March 2015 and said that "he wished to provide a grant to Sri Lanka"
Key Highlights:
- The India-aided free ambulance service is currently running parallel to the Sri Lankan government's free ambulance service
- The service was earlier introduced in two provinces of Sri Lanka with grant assistance from India and it will now be expanded to the remaining seven provinces.
- India had given a grant of USD 22.8 million - USD 7.6 million in first phase in 2016 and in second instalment USD 15.2 million this year - to Sri Lankan government to run free ambulance services.
- This is the largest Indian grant project in Sri Lanka after Indian housing project.
- Under the first phase, 88 ambulances were purchased for the two provinces while another 209 ambulances are being provided to cover all districts in the country.
In a bid to uplift and improve medical facilities in Sri Lanka, India had launched the emergency ambulance service in July, 2016 for western and southern provinces of Sri Lanka through an outright grant of USD 7.6 million. An agreement was signed for the same between the Indian entity, GVK EMRI Lanka Pvt Ltd and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine.
Reports inform that the request for assistance for setting up the emergency ambulance service in Sri Lanka was received during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country in March 2015. Soon after the visit, Wickremesinghe wrote to Modi for his support for setting up the service and its operations for the first year. The decision was, however, fully formalised in September 2015 during the visit of Wickremesinghe to India.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 21, 2018 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).