1990 Suwa Seriya, Sri Lanka’s national pre-hospital emergency ambulance service, is ushering in a new era in emergency healthcare through its innovative Connected Ambulance.
Powered by state-of-the-art Mixed Reality and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, this groundbreaking initiative is set to revolutionise the landscape of pre-hospital care emergency medical response, not only in Sri Lanka but also, for the first time, in the Asian region.
Wavenet serves as its core technology partner with the use of Microsoft technologies, bringing this enhanced lifesaving innovation to fruition. Initially, the pilot project will be launched and functional in the western and northern provinces of Sri Lanka; Colombo and Jaffna, respectively.
The latest technological innovation establishes a fully connected platform seamlessly linking the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Emergency Physician at the Emergency Command and Control Centre (ECCC) with the existing Emergency Dispatch Management system and the rest of the Operations Management systems at 1990 Suwa Seriya.
This integration automates and enhances the efficiency of the emergency healthcare ecosystem by digitising critical processes, ensuring swift response times, while delivering specialised care remotely through the Microsoft HoloLens and Wavenet’s digital healthcare arm Mediwave’s Emergency Response Suite. Equipped with the latest communication equipment, IoMT, and HoloLens AR features, EMTs can remotely connect with the Emergency Physician at the ECCC, monitor vital signs, and provide specialised care even before reaching the hospital, enhancing patient care during the golden hour of medical emergencies.
Medical staff, including EMTs and control room operators, undergo training using AR simulations and technical manuals that incorporate HoloLens smart features. Moreover, the system employs a speech-to-text, AI-powered transcriber by Wavenet’s digital healthcare arm, Mediwave, to digitise Electronic Patient Care Records (ePCR), eliminating delays in Emergency Treatment Units and minimising human error.
1990 Suwa Seriya, Chairman, Dumindra Ratnayaka expressed, “Technology-led initiatives, such as these, contribute to improved expenditure management, enhanced public health indicators, attract foreign investment for the nation, create new and advanced job opportunities, and demonstrate Sri Lanka’s technological prowess, fostering economic growth and innovation.”
“With a fleet of 322 ambulances covering the entire island, 1990 Suwa Seriya, with Wavenet’s digital healthcare arm and Microsoft, achieves a world-class average response time of eleven minutes and thirty-eight seconds for medical emergencies across Sri Lanka, surpassing response times in some developed countries. Daily, we contribute to saving more than 1000 lives, responding to more than 5300 calls, daily. With this enhanced lifesaving technology initiative, we are set to break new ground in pre-hospital care emergency management,” 1990 Suwa Seriya, Chief Executive Officer, Sohan de Silva added.
“We take pride in powering Sri Lanka’s sole pre-hospital emergency ambulance service, 1990 Suwa Seriya. With years of success and continuous innovation, working alongside the best in the healthcare industry, we have elevated emergency healthcare to unprecedented heights through Wavenet’s digital healthcare arm – Mediwave’s Emergency Response Suite. We are at the intersection of Augmented Reality (AR) and AI in the digital healthcare space, and this innovation harnesses the power of collaborative partnerships with the healthcare fraternity’ stated Wavenet’s Chief Executive Officer, Suren Pinto.
Speaking at the launch event, pioneer of the free Ambulance Service, Parliamentarian Harsha de Silva extended his gratitude to the companies, Wavenet and Microsoft for making this technological feat possible.
Addressing the event, Health MInister – Ramesh Pathirana said that he would positively respond to a request by MP de Silva, who had urged to grant the Rs. 10,000/= Living Expenses Allowance to the 1990 Suwa Seriya staff.
The Ministry of Health has declared a ‘National Injury Prevention Week’, which will be observed from today (July 07) until July 11.
Consultant Community Physician – Dr. Samitha Siritunga, Head of the Accident Prevention Unit under the Ministry’s Non-Communicable Diseases Division (NCD), stated that out of Sri Lanka’s 145,000 total annual deaths, between 10,000 – 12,000 are due to sudden injuries.
Alarmingly, over 7,500 – 8,000 deaths occur before the victims can reach hospital care, he further said.
Plans are underway to launch a new initiative to provide high-quality, nutritious, and appetizing meals to inpatients at government hospitals.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media announced that a pilot project will kick off at the Maharagama Apeksha Hospital.
The plan was discussed at a recent meeting chaired by Health and Mass Media Minister – Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, with senior ministry officials, hospital administrators, nutritionists, and doctors from the Sri Lanka College of Nutrition Physicians in attendance.
Minister Jayatissa noted that while the government allocates a significant budget each year for hospital food services, there are concerns of whether the system actually delivers, providing wholesome meals for the patients and justifying the funds spent.
He highlighted that patient satisfaction with hospital meals has never been properly assessed and stressed the need to overhaul both the menu and the delivery system.
The pilot project at Maharagama Apeksha Hospital will see each patient receive a customized plate with rice, vegetables, and proteins served separately, instead of the traditional single-plate meal.
Doctors advised that visually appealing and well-arranged meals can help lift patients’ appetites and encourage better nutrition.
The discussion also addressed challenges at Apeksha Hospital, including a staff shortage despite having a modern kitchen capable of preparing meals for up to 2,000 people.
The need for specialized training for kitchen staff in modern food preparation and service techniques was emphasized, along with a proposal to rename the kitchen as the “Food and Beverages Department” to reflect improved standards.
Participants recommended upgrading kitchen facilities by replacing gas stoves with steam-powered equipment and introducing new technology to maintain food quality and safety.
Minister Jayatissa pledged quick action to address these issues, adding that the government hopes to expand the project to all state hospitals nationwide.
Additional Secretaries – Sunil Galagama and Salinda Bandara, Director General of Health Services – Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Director of Apeksha Hospital – Dr. Aruna Jayasekara, President of the Sri Lanka College of Nutrition Physicians – Dr. Thimathi Wickramasekara, as well as several senior doctors and nutritionists were present at the meeting.
Police have announced a special traffic plan that will be implemented in Borella today (July 07) due to an event marking the 50th Golden Jubilee celebration of the Priesthood of His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith.
The event is expected to draw a large number of invited guests, including religious dignitaries, government officials, and members of the clergy.
To ease congestion, heavy vehicles will be restricted from entering the stretch between Kynsey Road junction and Nandadasa Kodagoda junction on Ward Place between 3.00 pm – 9.00 pm within the Borella Police Division.
Police have requested motorists to use alternate routes during this time.
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