About C.P.I.P
Our Story
The Community Paramedic Integration Project (CPIP) was created to rethink how healthcare can reach people in rural and underserved areas, starting in Sri Lanka. While many community paramedicine programs around the world focus on expanding the role of paramedics, we recognized early on that Sri Lanka’s healthcare landscape required a different approach.
CPIP is not about replacing existing systems; it’s about building on what already works and growing capacity where gaps exist. We work alongside local health professionals, public health officials, community leaders, and international partners to co-develop a model that reflects the realities on the ground—limited resources, geographic isolation, post-conflict challenges, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
Rather than importing a ready-made solution, our focus is on building a framework that could support the development of a community-based care model, one that trains and integrates community paramedics into the broader health system. This involves exploring how preventive care, health education, and early intervention can be delivered more effectively at the local level, in ways that are culturally appropriate and community-driven.
This is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is a collaborative effort to create a model that works for Sri Lanka, one that complements existing systems, fills critical gaps, and puts communities at the center of care.
How It All Started
The Community Paramedic Integration Project (CPIP) was founded by Ashan Gabrielpillai and George Clark, two Canadian paramedics who witnessed the powerful impact of Community Paramedicine Programs (CPPs) in Ontario's healthcare system. These programs demonstrated how mobile, preventive care could reduce hospital readmissions, support patients with chronic conditions, and bring healthcare directly into the homes of those who need it most.
Inspired by these outcomes and driven by a shared commitment to health equity, Ashan and George began exploring how the Community Paramedicine model could be adapted for resource-limited settings abroad. With a commitment to global health equity and a clear understanding of the healthcare challenges in rural Sri Lanka, they identified the Northern Province as a strategic and meaningful starting point for this work.
Through ongoing outreach missions, CPIP has engaged with local stakeholders, healthcare professionals, and community members to better understand the region’s unique needs. These early efforts have laid the groundwork for a pilot program tailored to underserved, rural areas, centered on early intervention, home-based care, and community trust.
This pilot is envisioned as a starting point, one that can be scaled and adapted to reach the most vulnerable and underserved communities across Sri Lanka.
Where We Are Today
After completing two successful missions in Sri Lanka, the Community Paramedic Integration Project (CPIP) is focused on building partnerships with healthcare organizations in Canada, local authorities, and community leaders in Sri Lanka. These partnerships aim to develop a pilot program for community paramedicine that fits the specific needs of Sri Lanka’s healthcare system.
The pilot program will focus on training and integrating community paramedics or similar community health responders into the existing healthcare network. The goal is to offer preventive care, health education, and early medical support in a way that is accessible and culturally appropriate, especially in rural and underserved areas like the Northern Province.
This work is intended to strengthen and support current healthcare services rather than replace them. By addressing challenges such as limited resources, geographic barriers, post-conflict recovery, and the increase of chronic diseases, CPIP hopes to reduce the strain on hospitals and improve health outcomes throughout the country.
As CPIP progresses, it continues to collaborate with interns and research partners to ensure the program is based on solid evidence and community needs. This stage builds the foundation for a program that can be expanded and adapted across Sri Lanka over time.
Our Vision For The Future
The Community Paramedic Integration Project is more than a healthcare initiative. It represents a growing movement to reshape how care is delivered in rural Sri Lanka. Our vision is to build a community-based care model that can be adapted, scaled, and sustained across underserved regions.
We aim to support the development of trained community-based responders who work alongside existing health systems to improve access to preventive services, health education, and early support. By keeping care rooted in the community, we hope to ease the pressure on hospitals, respond to local needs more effectively, and contribute to long-term health improvements throughout the country.
This is about more than delivering services. It’s about building a system that grows with the people it serves—practical, inclusive, and led by communities themselves.
Join us in transforming healthcare, one community at a time.
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
We are committed to improving health outcomes in underserved communities across Sri Lanka by integrating community paramedics into the healthcare system. Our focus is on providing preventive care, health education, and early intervention to reduce hospital visits and expand access to quality healthcare in rural areas.
Our Vision
To empower communities with accessible and sustainable healthcare solutions that foster healthier populations through proactive, locally driven care. We aim to create a global model for Community Paramedic Programs that transforms how healthcare is delivered in underserved and rural regions