MEET THE TEAM

Medhavi Weerasinghe

PhD, MIR, BA

Dr Medhavi Weerasinghe completed her PhD with Global and Women's Health in 2026. Her research examined how sexual and reproductive health services, programs, and policies in Sri Lanka can be improved to better address the health needs of young people.

Dr Weerasinghe was born in Sri Lanka and moved to Australia at a young age. Having previously completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in politics and international studies as well as a Masters of International Relations degree with Monash University, Dr Weerasinghe is developing her career as a researcher in global and public health. She has published papers on the contraception preferences of women in rural and urban Pune, India, and in Sri Lanka.

“I am particularly interested in closely collaborating with diverse communities to conduct research on sexual and reproductive health promotion at the grass-root level,” says Ms Weerasinghe.

According to Dr Weerasinghe, sexual and reproductive health has been perceived as a stigmatised topic in Sri Lanka for a long time and many individuals, especially young people, feel like they do not have anywhere to go to have their health concerns heard and addressed without feeling like they are being judged.

“If the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people are respected and accommodated for, they will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to not only express their sexuality in a healthy, positive, and safe manner, but to also make decisions which promotes their overall health so that they can live life to the fullest,” says Dr Weerasinghe.

Dr Weerasinghe emphasises that the opinion of diverse populations must be central when informing the development and design of sexual and reproductive health initiatives and policies.

Publications

Weerasinghe M, Mudunna C, Makleff S, Sastry J, Rajapaksa Hewageegana N, Varshney K, Romero L, Fisher J. Sexual and reproductive health information and service needs and preferences of adolescents and young adults in Sri Lanka: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2025 Oct 10;25(1):3461. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24324-5.

Weerasinghe M, Rajapaksa Hewageegana N, Makleff S, Tran T, Sastry J, Fisher J. Sexual and Reproductive Health Information Needs and Preferences of University-Going Young Adults in Sri Lanka: A Cross-Sectional Study. Advances in Public Health. 2026: 3870543. doi: 10.1155/adph/3870543.