Sri Lanka’s trusted 1990 Suwaseriya ambulance service faces a makeover in name, logo and purpose, sparking outrage as critics warn that life-saving care risks being buried under political branding.
Sri Lanka’s 1990 Suwaseriya ambulance service, once hailed as a pioneering emergency lifeline, has been thrust into controversy after a sudden rebranding attempt. Opposition MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, who spearheaded the creation of the service, has questioned why the government has erased the original name “Suwaseriya” and replaced it with the new title “Sri Lanka Pre-Hospital Care Emergency Response Ambulance Service” or “1990 Sri Lanka Emergency Medical Service.”
An advertisement posted on social media announced applications for a new Chief Executive Officer of the service under its new name. Dr. de Silva immediately raised alarms, asking when exactly this “1990 Sri Lanka Emergency Medical Service” was established and under which law it was created. He reminded the government that the Suwaseriya Foundation Act No. 18 of 2018 only authorized a pre-hospital care ambulance service. By law, the service cannot transport patients between hospitals, even in emergencies, unless the Act itself is amended and new accreditations are secured.
The latest advertisement, however, describes the service as both “Emergency and Pre-Hospital Care,” suggesting a quiet expansion of its scope without legal grounding. Dr. de Silva warned that such changes amount to bypassing due process, arguing that any attempt to alter the original purpose of Suwaseriya must come through Parliament, not through paper rebrands.
He further alleged that the government is attempting to change not only the name but also the logo and colours of the service, erasing its identity and undermining the public trust it has built over the years. Calling the move a “farce,” he urged authorities not to dismantle a service that has saved countless lives and earned credibility as a reliable, free emergency response system.
Meanwhile, the CEO vacancy announcement remains open, calling for applicants with a degree or postgraduate qualification and at least 12 years of management experience. The closing date for applications has been set for October 27, 2025.
Critics fear that rebranding Suwaseriya under a new name risks turning a people’s service into a political project. For a system built on public trust, the stakes are not cosmetic, they are life and death.
