The John Keells Group signed an agreement contributing LKR 100 million toward the Suwa Seriya Foundation for use in the operations of the Suwa Seriya Ambulance Service. The contribution aims to support the ambulance service, which has been facing financial constraints, and will allow the service to continue providing lifesaving emergency medical assistance in Sri Lanka.

The Suwa Seriya Ambulance Service was launched in 2016 with the support of the Indian Government. The service was created with the aim of providing emergency medical assistance across the island, especially those living in rural and remote areas, who have limited access to essential healthcare facilities. Since its inception, the Suwa Seriya Ambulance Service has provided emergency medical assistance to thousands of individuals, saving countless lives.

While Suwa Seriya has been supported under the budgetary supplement by the Government, financial constraints arising due to the recent country context are affecting the sustained operations of the service.  In order to ensure that the service can continue to provide lifesaving medical assistance to those in need, the John Keells Group has stepped forward with a financial contribution of LKR 100 million toward the Suwa Seriya Foundation.

This support from John Keells Group is a significant boost to the Suwa Seriya Ambulance Service, as it will allow the service to purchase new medical equipment and continue to maintain the ambulances, as well as recruit and train additional medical personnel. This will enable the service to both sustain and expand its operations and continue to serve people in need of emergency medical assistance.

Krishan Balendra, Chairperson of the John Keells Group, said, "At John Keells, we believe that it is our responsibility to support and empower the communities in which we operate. Given that health is one of the key focus areas of our CSR initiatives implemented through John Keells Foundation, we are proud to support the Suwa Seriya Ambulance Service and the outstanding work that is done every day by these first responders to save lives across Sri Lanka. We urge the corporate community and other benefactors to continue to support this vital service."

The service operates a fleet of 297 ambulances equipped with necessary emergency medical equipment and staffed by trained personnel. The contribution from the John Keells Group to the Suwa Seriya Foundation will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the Suwa Seriya Ambulance Service and the communities that it serves.

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), is the largest conglomerate listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange, operating with over 70 companies in 7 diverse industry sectors. With a history of over 150 years, John Keells Group provides employment to over 14,000 persons and has been ranked as Sri Lanka's 'Most Respected Entity' for the last 17 Years by LMD magazine. John Keells Holdings PLC was ranked first for the third consecutive year in the 'Transparency in Corporate Reporting Assessment' by Transparency International Sri Lanka. Whilst being a full member of the World Economic Forum and a participant of the UN Global Compact, JKH drives its CSR vision of “Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow” through John Keells Foundation and through the social entrepreneurship initiative, ‘Plasticcycle’, which is a catalyst in significantly reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.