The initiative forms part of a broader programme launched under the guidance of Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa to enhance the physical resources of the national healthcare system and improve the efficiency and quality of patient care.
The new mammography machines will be installed at the following hospitals:
National Hospital of Sri Lanka
National Hospital Karapitiya
National Hospital Kandy
Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura
Apeksha Hospital
The advanced imaging equipment will support the early detection of breast cancer—the most common cancer among women—as well as other abnormal breast lumps and changes. The machines will also contribute to improved follow-up care and treatment monitoring.
Each mammography unit is valued at approximately Rs. 153 million, bringing the total investment to Rs. 765 million. Funding for the project has been provided through the Health System Enhancement Project (HSEP) and the Asian Development Bank.
In addition to the five new machines, the Ministry has also arranged to provide two refurbished mammography units to the District General Hospital Trincomalee and the District General Hospital Nuwara Eliya to address urgent service requirements in those districts.
Sri Lanka currently operates 16 mammography machines across the public healthcare network. With the addition of the seven new and refurbished units, the total number of machines available nationwide will increase to 23.
Hospitals currently equipped with mammography facilities include those in Galle, Colombo, Kalubowila, Peradeniya, Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Ragama, Jaffna, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Badulla, Ratnapura, Kalmunai, Trincomalee, and Nuwara Eliya.
At present, many government hospitals face waiting periods ranging from several weeks to several months for mammography examinations due to the high demand for screening services and limited equipment availability. Although national healthcare guidelines recommend completing diagnostic investigations within a few days of patient registration, resource constraints have often resulted in delays.
Health officials expect that the introduction of the new technology will significantly reduce waiting lists, improve diagnostic capacity, and enable the delivery of more efficient, timely, and high-quality healthcare services to the public.
“The expansion of mammography services is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s cancer detection and treatment capabilities while ensuring that more women have access to life-saving early screening and diagnosis,” the Ministry said.
