Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Harsha De Silva says that the toll free hotline ‘1990’ of the recently launched emergency ambulance service currently receives around 270 phone calls on a daily basis, but a majority of them are to check whether such a service exists.
Some of them cut the call without even speaking, he said, adding that some even use hurtful and abusive language after calling the hotline.
The deputy minister said that around 10-11 ambulances are dispatched everyday to respond to actual emergency situations.
He said that this ambulance service has created around 470 jobs so far and that no Indians have been given employment as incorrectly claimed by certain individuals.
Responding to a question from a journalist at a press briefing today, Harsha said that there are some people who get in the way of saving the life of a patient.
If this needs to be stopped due to various accusations, it can be done, he said. “Is this wrong? Tell us if it’s wrong.”
