One of the first projects of Metta Social Services Foundation (“MSSF”) was the Metta Free Ambulance Service. Set up in 2004, it was based initially in Colombo to meet the demand for transportation to and from homes and hospitals. Government ambulance services at that time only transported patients between hospitals.
However, as the need for such services is greater in the south Sri Lanka, MSSF relocated its entire fleet of ambulances to Matara in 2005. The service is provided free for monks and the needy in the local community. A nominal fee is levied for other users. Currently, it costs US$460 per month to operate the fleet of 5 ambulances which were all donated by well-wishers.
