Faculty of Allied Health Sciences
University of Jaffna has recognized the need to offer courses in Allied Health Sciences and made provision for paramedical school in the corporate plan. Inadequate facilities and the unrest situation delayed commencing of these courses.
The Faculty of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Jaffna was established to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka. Its beginnings date back to 2001, when the University first introduced certificate and diploma programmes in Pharmacy, Community Health, Physiotherapy, and Medical Laboratory Technology, with support from the World Health Organization.
In 2003, the University Grants Commission encouraged medical faculties to launch degree programmes in Allied Health Sciences. The University of Jaffna initially introduced three—Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing, and Pharmacy—in 2006. The first batch of students graduated in 2011, marking a significant milestone.
The rapid progress led to the creation of the Unit of Allied Health Sciences (UAHS) in 2011, with a dedicated four-storey building opened in 2012. Continued growth and demand culminated in the establishment of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences in 2019, with three initial departments: Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing, and Pharmacy.
In September 2011, the UGC has approved the request made by the University of Jaffna to establish the Unit of Allied Health Sciences (UAHS). Staff recruited to teach Allied Health Sciences automatically absorbed to UAHS. The foundation stone for a separate building for Allied health Sciences has been laid by minister of Higher Education on 29th, August 2010, in the land attached to the Faculty of Medicine. The new building for UAHS was ceremonially opened by Honourable Minister S.B. Dissanayakae, Ministry of Higher Education, on 28th September 2012.