The Faculty of Medicine’s Annual Academic Sessions (FMAS) 2024, held on May 8th at the T.W. Wikramanayake Auditorium, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, convened medical professionals, academics, researchers, and students to discuss advancements, challenges, and innovations in healthcare.

Dr. Palitha Mahipala, Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, delivered the keynote address on “Challenges in Ensuring Health Across the Life Cycle in Sri Lanka.” His speech shed light on the multifaced challenges faced in maintaining health throughout different stages of life. The FMAS Symposium, “Health Across the Life Cycle; Challenges in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals,” featured expert panels addressing various age groups’ healthcare challenges.

Dr. D. R. Palangasinghe presented a poster on “Physicians’ experience on electronic clinical decision support tools on lower respiratory tract infections in Sri Lanka” which is under the study “Treatment of Lower Respiratory Tract Infection In Sri Lanka (TREAT-SL); A stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial of an electronic Clinical Decision Support Tool eCDST for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lower Respiratory Tract Infection(LRTI) In Southern Sri Lanka ” conducted by the Duke-Ruhuna Collaborative Research Centre.

 Dr. M. R. P. Kurukulasooriya did an oral presentation based on her completed PhD under emerging research from the faculty of medicine University of Ruhuna. The title of the PhD research is, “A one health approach: the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus isolated from humans, animals, and animal products in southern Sri Lanka”.

Ms. M. H. M. Premamali also presented her findings on “Development of a Healthy Beverage with Oleoresins of Different Functional Foods” based on her undergraduate research.

It is with great pleasure and admiration that we extend our heartfelt congratulations to three exceptional individuals for their outstanding presentations!