The Allied Health Sciences (AHS) Degree Programmes of the University of Ruhuna (UoR) were initiated as the Paramedical Degree Programme under the Faculty of Medicine, UoR in 2008, addressing the long felt global demand to produce proficient healthcare professionals to deal with the current multidisciplinary trends in healthcare system. The programme was inaugurated on 20th October 2008 with the enrollment of 19 MLS and 37 Nursing undergraduates as the opening batch. In 2009, the Paramedical Degree Programme was re-named as the AHS Degree Programme (AHSDP). AHSDP started the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in 2010. The Faculty of Allied Health Sciences (FAHS) was established in UoR, as its tenth faculty, on 14th September 2017, with three Departments namely; Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing and Pharmacy.
Over the past few years, our faculty has grown in quantitative and qualitative aspects and accommodated an increased intake of students annually, reaching an annual intake of 320 undergraduates in 2023. By the year 2023, 162 MLS graduates (10 batches), 283 Nursing graduates (10 batches) and 155 Pharmacy graduates (9 batches) have been produced by the faculty with 100% national and international employability.
Though the FAHS have been rapidly improving with many cardinal aspects since its’ inception, the limited and sub-optimal infrastructure remained as a strong weakness. AHSD programme was initially established in the re-furbished hostel of the medical students at the old Mahamodara Teaching Hospital premises. Later in 2012, due to identified damages to the laboratory equipment as a result of sea breeze, the MLS and Phamacy programmes were shifted to one of the former medical students hostels at Uluvitke, Galle. Deans office, Administration and Finance divisions were shifted to a rented building at Godakanda. Addressing the utmost requirement of expansion of physical resources and student welfare, faculty started construction of a new faculty complex with all necessary facilities at Walahanduwa, Galle in December 2020. Irrespective of the many frustrating hindrances such as Codiv-19 pandemic, deadly economic crisis prevailing in the country, constant strikes, political instabilities, the construction of the new faculty was completed with the generous support by the Sri Lankan government, present and past regional political leaders, University Grant Commission and the Ministry of Higher Education. The new faculty premises was declared open by the His Excellency Ranil Wickremesinghe, the President of the Democratic Socialists Republic of Sri Lanka, on 19th July 2024 in the presence of Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Honorable Minister of Health, Mr. Susil Premajayantha, Honorable Minister of Higher Education, Mr. Wajira Abeywardana, Mr. Wijepala Hettiarachchi, Prof. Sampath Amarathunga, the Chairman, UGC, Venerable Dr. Akuretiye Nanda Tero, The Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Senior Professor Sujeewa Amarasena, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Professor E.P.S. Chandana, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Council Members, Heads of the Departments, Health Ministry and Government Officials, Academics of all Faculties, Administrative and Non-academic staff members, Alumni and Undergraduates of the Faculty, Villagers and Distinguished invitees gracing this momentous occasion.
