The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 I thank the Hon. female Members for proposing this important debate during Global Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

¶ 02 Breast cancer is very common in Sri Lanka—over 5,000 new patients annually—with 5–10% yearly growth. Due to delays in diagnosis and treatment, over a thousand deaths occur annually. Lifestyle changes contribute: obesity, lack of exercise, diet, and other factors. Compared to developed countries, our mortality is higher due to delayed diagnosis, treatment delays, and limited advanced diagnostics and therapies.

¶ 03 Clinical breast exams via well-women clinics are available but coverage is limited. Diagnostic services—mammography, core biopsies, immunohistochemistry, and genetic testing—are limited or unavailable in many areas. Radiotherapy capacity is constrained: only about 10 LINAC machines in the public sector nationwide. Chemotherapy availability is also problematic.

¶ 04 Therefore, prevention through early detection is vital. We must strengthen public education on breast health and risk factors, train primary healthcare staff for clinical screening, promote healthy lifestyles, and expand district-level diagnostic capacity—mammography, ultrasound, biopsy and pathology—ensure timely referrals, and expand radiotherapy and oncology services across provinces.

¶ 05 We highlight these gaps constructively, recognizing they cannot be solved overnight. However, allocation of physical and human resources for breast cancer prevention and care should be a Government priority. As the Opposition, we are ready to actively support measures that reduce the burden of breast cancer and extend healthy life expectancy for women. Thank you.