• Harsha further queries legality of Govt. move including blurring the distinction of pre-hosp. care service and emergency care
• Questions whither necessary regis. and accreditations to become ‘emergency’ care service  

Parliamentarian representing the main Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, and Suwa Seriya ambulance service Founder Dr. Harsha de Silva opined that implementing the changes proposed by the Government to the Suwa Seriya will set a “bad precedent”, and go against the original purpose of the service.

He made these remarks with regard to the recent changes suggested by the Government, which include changing the name, logo and colours of the logo of the Suwa Seriya service. 

Speaking with The Daily Morning yesterday (14), Dr. de Silva raised concerns about the legal situation of the Government’s move: “To create something called the Sri Lanka Emergency Medical Service, there must be some registration or accreditation. The advertisement (a reference to a recent advertisement seeking to hire an official for the service) is saying that it is an emergency and pre-hospital care service. When I presented the Bill, what it said was that we were going to create only a pre-hospital care service,” he said.

He added that there is a considerable difference between the original objective of the Suwa Seriya service and what the Government is trying to achieve through the proposed changes to the service. 

A post on the social media platform X by Dr. de Silva questioned: “When was the ‘1990 Sri Lanka Emergency Medical Service’ established? Under what law? What are its objectives? It states clearly that this service is ‘emergency AND pre-hospital care’.”

In response to The Daily Morning’s question as to whether he is planning to take any action against the Government’s move, he said: “There is no action to be taken. People have to act responsibly.”

Dr. de Silva’s post added: “What we established by the 1990 Suwa Seriya Act, No. 18 of 2018 is purely a ‘pre-hospital care’ ambulance service. By law, Suwa Seriya cannot transport patients’ inter-hospital even in an emergency. The objective was and must continue to be ‘pre-hospital care’. If it is to be changed, the law must be changed and necessary accreditations must be obtained.”

Moreover, with regard to the proposed changes, he raised concerns that the general public is familiar with the 1990 hotline.

Attempts to reach the Minister of Health regarding the concerns raised by the Opposition MP, failed.