Sri Lanka Ministry of Health plans to acquire 374 ambulances within the next four months for the government hospitals to reduce the shortage of ambulances.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is to provide 124 ambulances within the next two months, Ministry of Health says.

The Treasury has allocated Rs. 2.767 billion to purchase 250 ambulances.

Health authorities say that the fleet of ambulances needed to be increased by 400 to maintain an efficient emergency healthcare service.

The secondary health institution survey undertaken jointly by the Ministry of Health and JICA revealed that a sizable investment is required to improve the currently sub-standard facilities of the underutilized hospitals to regain confidence of the people.

In June, government signed a loan agreement with JICA for a Rs. 8 billion project to improve facilities in secondary level hospitals. Under the project Japan will provide the 124 ambulances for a number of rural hospitals in seven emerging regions excluding Southern and Western provinces.