News
6,700 diagnosed with cancer in first six months
View(s):By Minaza Hassan
A total of 6,700 new cancer patients have been registered at Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama during the first half of 2025, contributing to an estimated 60,000 total admissions including follow-ups and readmissions.
However, there has been no significant increase in new cancer cases compared to the same period last year, said Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Hasanka Wijeymuni.
Despite these high numbers, the hospital faces a shortage of medical staff, particularly doctors and nurses. To address this, the Ministry of Health plans to offer post-intern appointments to around 1,400 doctors and to recruit more nurses through nursing schools and hire nursing graduates direct, said Dr. Wijeymuni.
Funding has been allocated for the repair and purchase of new medical equipment, and targets are expected to be met soon.
Additionally, the ministry plans to upgrade the facilities of other regions as well to avoid overload at the Apeksha Hospital.
Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and essential medicines are generally available, though occasional supply chain issues can arise. In such cases, emergency funds and fast-tracked permissions allow hospital directors to make local purchases as needed, said Dr. Wijeymuni.
However, sometimes patients complain of drug shortages. This is not due to an actual unavailability of drugs but due to the fact that the said drugs are not included in the government’s approved drug list, said Dr. Wijeymuni.
Sri Lanka maintains an official list of 862 approved medications.
However, some consultants prescribe non-listed drugs or drugs that are still in experimental stages, often promoted by pharmaceutical companies as cancer treatments despite lacking international approval for oncology. These drugs are expensive, costing Rs. 5,000-Rs 10,000 per tablet, and not covered by the government. In some cases, patients go into debt or sell personal property to afford them, explained Dr. Wijeymuni.
To accommodate special cases, the ministry operates a “Name-Patient Drugs” programme, where consultants can request specific medications not on the official list. Once approved, these drugs are delivered directly to the hospital for the named patient, said Dr. Wijeymuni.
The ministry has also identified environmental and food safety risks, such as chemical contamination, air pollution, and unsafe food practices as factors potentially contributing to high cancer rates, said Dr. Wijeymuni.
As part of its preventive care approach, Apeksha Hospital offers genetic screening for families with a history of certain cancers. For example, relatives of breast cancer patients are encouraged to undergo regular mammograms. This family-based screening is particularly relevant for genetically-linked cancers like breast and bowel cancer, said Dr. Wijeymuni.
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