• Govt. seeks to expand 1990 operations, secure new ambulances
• Employees cite welfare gaps, staffing shortages, inconsistent discipline 
• Administration prioritises restructuring, labour grievances 

The 1990 Suwa Seriya ambulance service, established under the 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation Act No.18 of 2018, has become a central component of Sri Lanka’s emergency healthcare system, providing free islandwide pre-hospital care. The first 1990 ambulance was launched in Hambantota on 27 July 2016 with the support of a grant from the Government of India.

Operating under the Health Ministry, the service provides rapid access to emergency care for persons experiencing trauma, cardiac events, strokes, obstetric complications, road accidents, or other critical conditions. 

With an average response time of just over 15 minutes, Suwa Seriya has filled a longstanding gap in the national health infrastructure, offering an organised emergency response network.

Govt.’s plans

Minister of Health Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told Parliament on 6 October 2025 that the Government was planning to expand Suwa Seriya’s coverage to approximately 400 Police stations across the island by the end of the year. At present, the service covers 272 stations.

Responding to a question raised by National People’s Power (NPP) Batticaloa District MP Kanthasamy Prabu, Dr. Jayatissa said that the Government was working with India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to increase staffing and upgrade infrastructure. 

He said plans were underway to raise the number of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to 500 and that recruitment and training programmes had been extended beyond the Kelaniya University Medical Faculty in Ragama to the Colombo, Sri Jayewardenepura, and Jaffna Universities.

Dr. Jayatissa further informed Parliament that Rs. 4.25 billion had been allocated from the 2026 Budget for the Suwa Seriya service, and that discussions were ongoing to secure 100 new ambulances to strengthen the existing fleet. Fifty ambulances are expected through Indian assistance and another 50 through a procurement arrangement with the Indian automotive giant Tata. 

The Minister also claimed that salary anomalies affecting Suwa Seriya employees had been resolved following discussions held with the Finance Ministry in 2024. He acknowledged past difficulties in recruitment during the pandemic and economic crisis, and said that the expansion plan was intended to address staffing gaps and operational demand. 

The NPP Government drew criticism last year following attempts to what Opposition politicians called a ‘rebranding’ of the ambulance service’s iconic colour scheme, which Sri Lankans have grown to recognise and trust.

Employee concerns

While the Government says that it has positioned Suwa Seriya’s expansion as a public health priority, employees say operational challenges remain unresolved at the ground level. Some of the staff stationed at Police posts across the island have made allegations that the foundation has not consistently monitored their living conditions or daily welfare needs. 

Several employees who spoke to The Sunday Morning said that they often had to independently negotiate access to basic facilities such as water, toilets, and electricity with Police officers at the respective stations. In several locations, they said they had been without clean water for multiple days and that senior officials rarely inspected living quarters. 

Housing remained a significant concern. Employees said they were frequently rotated between sleeping spaces based on availability at Police stations, without dedicated or permanent accommodation arrangements. 

Disciplinary procedures were cited as another area of dissatisfaction. Employees said disciplinary action and punishments were inconsistent and lacked written standard guidelines. For similar types of traffic accidents or operational errors, one employee may face a transfer to a distant district for a year, while another may receive only a warning letter. Inquiries were described as brief and lacking procedural formality, with decisions issued rapidly and sometimes without proper review of documentation.

Regarding salaries, many employees lamented that while the total remuneration had increased over time, it had not kept pace with workload, inflation, or extended shifts. At inception in 2016, workers earned approximately Rs. 500 per day plus allowances; by 2019, earnings reached roughly Rs. 40,000 per month.

Current take-home pay is reported between Rs. 80,000 and Rs. 100,000, depending on role and district. However, the recent adjustment to overtime calculations from 200 to 240 hours per month had drawn mixed reactions, with some staff saying the change reduced the effective benefit of the salary revision.

Employees also raised concerns about staffing shortages, saying EMTs and pilots were required to work beyond 12-hour shifts in some locations due to a lack of replacements. They said staffing gaps had emerged between 2020 and 2023 due to resignations during the pandemic, migration during the 2022 economic crisis, and the Government’s freeze on recruitment during the same period.

Audit findings

The Auditor General’s report for the year ending 31 December 2024 highlighted several structural and financial issues facing the foundation.

While the financial statements were issued with a “true and fair” opinion, the audit identified a significant decline in financial performance. The foundation’s surplus fell from Rs. 269.9 million in 2023 to Rs. 53.2 million in 2024 as operating expenses increased faster than revenue. 

The audit also noted that the National Treasury owed Rs. 441 million to the foundation, including Rs. 330 million overdue since 2019 without formal balance confirmation. According to the report the arrears had created administrative friction and raised questions regarding sustainability as operating costs and call volumes continue to rise. 

Operational concerns were also highlighted. Between 2023 and 2024, the foundation issued 2,299 new ambulance tyres, yet only 1,068 used tyres were returned. Auditors documented instances of ambulances operating with “excessively worn” tyres and exposed wiring, raising safety concerns.

Administrative irregularities were noted regarding tenancy arrangements for the foundation’s Headquarters. The office was operating without a formal rental agreement and at a cost Rs. 5 million above the Government’s valuation for the premises.

The audit also noted that a wearable sensor project intended to monitor patient falls and glucose levels had stalled after Rs. 6.6 million was spent. Management said donor funding had dried up during the economic crisis and that development could not continue. 

A shortage of 840 personnel was cited across multiple operational and supervisory categories, including provincial quality assurance roles. The audit also recorded that the mandated Internal audit unit had not been established due to cadre approval issues, leaving the organisation without a statutory compliance mechanism. 

Director’s response to employee concerns

Meanwhile, 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation Director Shervin Arsakularatne told The Sunday Morning that stabilising human resources, restructuring administrative processes, and consolidating institutional operations had been prioritised since the appointment of the new Board of Directors last year. He said the service remained a critical public health function and that reforms were being designed to address issues accumulated over several years. 

According to him, one of the first tasks was to review longstanding labour grievances and disciplinary cases. He acknowledged that employees had fair concerns and grievances and said that the new administration was attempting to resolve long-pending issues in the best possible manner. 

Several inquiries involving alleged theft or misconduct had not been completed, while other cases had resulted in terminations without proper inquiry. Arsakularatne said that the new administration had concluded pending cases and reinstated certain employees where procedural deficiencies were identified. Transfer requests submitted by staff had also been taken up, although he acknowledged that not all could be finalised immediately due to administrative constraints.

The Director said that salary anomalies had also been addressed, including a Rs. 15,000 increment introduced through the most recent Budget. He said a pilot now earned approximately Rs. 80,000 per month. He added that recruitment and training programmes were underway to address shortages in pilots and EMTs, but noted that gaps still existed, resulting in some staff operating beyond a 12-hour shift in certain districts.

Arsakularatne said the foundation had also begun centralising its operational structure, replacing a previously fragmented arrangement that involved multiple rented locations. The office in Rajagiriya, leased from a private owner at Rs. 725,000 per month, had become financially unsustainable after the owner had sought to increase the rent to Rs. 1.2 million. 

As a result, operations have been shifted to Horton Place, Colombo 7, with three departments already relocated. He said the goal was to ensure continuity regardless of political changes or Government budget cycles. 

When asked about the foundation not receiving allocated budget funds from the Treasury, Arsakularatne acknowledged a distinction between recurrent and capital expenditure. For recurrent expenditure such as salaries, fuel costs, and mechanical maintenance, funds have been disbursed on schedule, while capital procurement has been subject to delays due to State protocols, committee approvals, and Government procurement procedures. He added that this had slowed the acquisition of new ambulances and equipment despite budgetary allocations.

Operationally, he said that the current fleet covered approximately 27,000 km collectively per day, with 319 ambulances in service. Steps are ongoing to secure an additional 100 ambulances – 50 through the Indian Government and 50 through Tata – while 25 ambulances are expected free of charge from the ADB and another 25 through an ADB payment facility to strengthen the national fleet.

However, he noted that agreements must be finalised through the Ministry of Health. Although the foundation’s administration participated in relevant discussions, final approvals lay with the ministry, he said. 

Moreover, Arsakularatne stated that Suwa Seriya’s emergency response model relied on trained EMTs and clinically informed protocols, noting that staff underwent six months of training in collaboration with the Kelaniya University Medical Faculty in Ragama and gained clinical exposure through the Colombo North Teaching Hospital.

Stabilising patients at the scene prior to transfer was described as medically required, although he noted that the practice often attracted agitation from relatives who expected immediate transport.

The Director further stated that the foundation would continue public education efforts and made two requests to the public. 

First, he urged that the hotline number 1990 be memorised, as surveys showed confusion with numbers such as 1919, 1999, and 1900, which could delay treatment in time-critical situations. 

Second, he requested that EMTs and pilots be treated respectfully when responding to emergencies, as they worked in high-pressure environments and should not be subjected to hostility or impatience at scenes.