Sri Lanka Women MPs Launch Islandwide Breast Cancer Awareness Drive

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Thursday, 29 October 2026

Sri Lanka's Women Parliamentarians' Caucus will be launching an islandwide program on breast cancer awareness and early detection in cooperation with the Ministry of Health on November 2 in an effort to provide improved access to women for screening and timely medical intervention.

During a recent meeting of the Caucus, led by Caucus Chairperson, Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, the decision was made. Key efforts of the initiative will be to raise awareness, address barriers to care and increase breast cancer screening, especially in underserved populations.

Sri Lanka has around 6,000 new cases of breast cancer every year and some 1,000 women succumb to the disease each year, the officials from the Ministry of Health revealed. Table 1 demonstrates the urgency for early diagnosis, the availability of screening facilities and continued public education.

While breast cancer can be treated successfully, if detected early, women are often deterred from seeking prompt medical care by fear, embarrassment and lack of awareness. The program is designed to tackle these issues by helping to increase screening uptake and ensuring timely medical consultation.

Key Highlights

• Sri Lanka records 6,000 new breast cancer cases annually nationwide
• Women MPs will lead district-level awareness programmes on November 2
• Next year’s initiative aims to expand screening among women aged 35–45

During the initiative in November, women parliamentarians will be tasked to organise health clinics and awareness programs at electorate and district levels. Their involvement will help to sensitize the communities about breast cancer and motivate women to avail the healthcare services available.

Pink ribbons and wristbands as well as pink clothing will also help promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month during the campaign. Awareness activities will be expanded to school and university children and women MPs will be encouraged to attend.

Particular focus will be placed on women in rural areas, plantation, high-rise residential complexes and other underserved areas. The program aims to improve access to health services and promote more women to be screened.

The campaign will help increase participation in health services for women, offered at Suwanari Clinics. Ministry officials pointed out that only about half of the women age 35-45 are now visiting these clinics. The increasing participation in the age group shall be a prime focus and awareness shall be created among women to avail of the designated cancer early-detection centres.

The campaign will be around increases in awareness of screening services and women's attention to preventive care. Reaching some people who do not visit health facilities on a regular basis will require community-level outreach.

A full breast cancer screening program will also take place next year. The proposed idea is that all women between the ages of 35-45 will be referred to get screening tests to broaden coverage and make early diagnosis more robust.

The planned effort will involve relevant stakeholders such as the women's societies at the Grama Niladhari division level. Their participation will help to provide community outreach, increase awareness of services available and increase access for women to screening facilities.

As a result of these concerted actions, Sri Lanka targets to further expand breast cancer screening uptake; to improve early detection, and to enhance women's access to preventive care across the country.