Cancer is a source of suffering for people around the world. One of the most common forms of cancer in women is cervical cancer. Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by infection with oncogenic types of the human papilloma virus (HPV). The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women with the highest rates in low and middle-income countries.
At an event held on 28 April, Dilmah Tea partnered with the Rotary Club of Colombo and the MJF Foundation to acknowledge the prevalence of cervical cancer in Sri Lanka and what can be done to help.
The deadly disease
Cervical cancer is a struggle that many women in Sri Lanka continue to face, often with very little understanding of the disease.
“From amongst 8.8 million Sri Lankans at risk of cervical cancer, over 1200 are diagnosed each year,” Dilmah and Trustee at the MJF Foundation CEO Dilhan Fernando, said.
Many others remain undiagnosed and untreated.
These numbers reflect a wider regional issue, where late detection continues to be one of the biggest challenges in reducing mortality rates.
Health professionals have repeatedly emphasised that cervical cancer is highly preventable when identified early, yet many cases in Sri Lanka are still diagnosed at advanced stages.
“For over fifty per cent of patients, it is usually too late,” Fernando said. “Now it doesn’t need to be the reality.”
A national effort towards prevention
In 2024, Dilmah formally entered into an agreement with the Rotary Club of Colombo and the Ministry of Health to strengthen Sri Lanka’s response to cervical cancer. The partnership was designed to improve early detection, expand screening access and support long-term prevention strategies across the country.
The initiative aligns with the global target set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030. This goal focuses on three key pillars: vaccination, screening and early treatment.
“In order to achieve treatment, you need to vaccinate children in the age group nine to twelve and be able to screen the older women who may already have contracted the disease,” Rotary International Past President K. R. Ravindran, said.
As part of this national effort, Dilmah provided an initial grant of 75 million rupees to support the procurement of cervical cancer test kits. These kits are intended to strengthen early detection programmes within the public health system, particularly in areas where access to regular screening remains limited.
In 2026, Dilmah and the MJF Foundation committed another 50 million rupees towards screening and early detection, which resulted in another 24,300 women being screened and a successful detection of 1900 patients.
The funding is also aimed at reducing barriers to diagnosis by improving availability at government health facilities and outreach clinics.
Strengthening public health systems
The partnership is not limited to funding alone. It also focuses on strengthening existing health infrastructure and improving coordination between institutions.
“Every business has an obligation to a purpose beyond making a profit and to serve their community,” Fernando said. “So we must embrace our collective duty to embrace the wellness of women.”
Healthcare professionals have also been working closely with partners to integrate cervical cancer screening into routine healthcare services, particularly within maternal and reproductive health programmes.
“Screening for women above the age of 35 is essential,” the Sri Lanka Cancer Society President Anoja Karunaratne, said. “The process of getting a Pap smear is simple.”
Dilmah’s involvement contributed to the healthcare centers around the country getting access to 17,095 more HPV DNA tests.
This integration is expected to improve access for women who may not otherwise undergo regular screening.
Health and safety
Medical experts involved in the programme have noted that awareness remains one of the biggest gaps in prevention efforts. Many women in Sri Lanka are still unaware of the importance of routine screening or the availability of free services through government hospitals.
“Some women are afraid to go get tested,” Consultant Community Physician at the Family Health Bureau Dr. Nadeeja Herath, said. “So a lot of the time, these cancers are not identified at an early stage, which makes treatment harder.”
Cultural barriers, limited outreach in rural areas and a lack of structured awareness campaigns have also contributed to delayed diagnosis in many cases.
The introduction of test kits through this initiative is intended to address some of these challenges by making screening more accessible and less dependent on hospital visits. Health workers are also being trained to support proper testing procedures and follow-up care where needed.
Community outreach programmes are expected to play a key role in increasing awareness, particularly through local health units and grassroots organisations.
Working towards 2030
The long-term objective of the partnership is clear: to contribute towards the eradication of cervical cancer in Sri Lanka by 2030.
This goal is closely aligned with the WHO elimination strategy, which defines success as significantly reducing incidence rates through vaccination, early screening, and timely treatment.
Fernando emphasised that achieving this target requires consistent effort and long-term commitment.
“This is not a short-term intervention,” he said. “It is a sustained effort to change outcomes for women in Sri Lanka. If we can improve early detection and ensure access to treatment, we can fundamentally change the trajectory of this disease.”
The initiative is expected to expand over time, with further phases focusing on awareness, vaccination support, and strengthening diagnostic capacity across the country.
For health officials and partners involved, the focus remains on ensuring that early detection becomes a routine part of healthcare rather than an occasional intervention.
As Sri Lanka moves closer to the 2030 target, the success of such partnerships will be measured not only in funding or programmes, but in how effectively they reduce late-stage diagnoses and improve survival rates among women across the country.