Melsta Hospitals has achieved a defining milestone for Sri Lanka’s private healthcare sector, becoming the country’s first hospital to secure Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation under the latest 8th edition standards. This recognition reflects rigorous compliance with internationally recognised benchmarks in patient safety, clinical quality, and continuous improvement, reinforcing Melsta Hospitals’ commitment to global-standard care while keeping healthcare affordable for Sri Lankans.

JCI, a globally respected accreditation body originating from the United States, evaluates hospitals through an intensive survey process that tests real-world performance across patient care pathways, safety practices, organisational governance, and quality management systems. For patients and families, this accreditation provides added confidence that care is delivered through structured, evidence-based processes designed to reduce risk and improve outcomes.

Melsta Hospitals’ achievement is the result of a sustained, multi-year quality journey focused on building systems that perform consistently every day, not only during assessments. The hospital progressed from foundational quality frameworks to higher levels of operational discipline and, under the ownership of Melstacorp PLC, strengthened clinical governance, enhanced safety checkpoints, and embedded a culture of accountability across teams and departments.

Royle Jansz, Chairman of Melsta Hospitals and Deputy Chairman of the Melstacorp PLC group, said, “I am proud and honoured to lead Melsta Hospitals and its team through this milestone. It is a significant achievement for the hospital and for the Group. Since we took over in 2020, we have seen the organisation grow from strength to strength, serving patients, supporting national priorities, and demonstrating the responsibility expected of a healthcare institution.”

The CSE announced that it had decided to cancel all equity securities transactions carried out yesterday prior to a market halt which followed the detection of transactions executed at irregular prices.

The CSE noted that certain transactions of a newly listed company during the morning session appeared to be done at irregular prices, which may have had an impact on the buying power of investors. As a result, trading was halted to ensure a fair and orderly market.

Wealth Trust Securities said the erroneous share trade on its debut on the Colombo Stock Exchange had nothing to do with the firm or it pre-IPO shareholders.

“The company further confirms that no shares have been sold by pre-IPO shareholders in the market, the firm said in a statement.

“There is no impact on the company’s fundamentals, operations, or previously disclosed information, it said.

Accordingly, the CSE stated that the decision to cancel all transactions carried out before the halt was taken with the concurrence of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Its added trading will resume only after all affected transactions are cancelled and all orders placed after 9.00 a.m. today are purged from the Order Management System (OMS).

The CSE noted that as all orders will be purged, investors will be required to re-enter their orders into the OMS once trading recommences.

The CSE website showed a trade executed at Rs 25,000 and later trades went at Rs 17 and below.

Wealth Trust Securities had an initial public offer at Rs 7.00.

Following the execution of the error trade, turnover showed at Rs 162 billion.

Yesterday rupee was quoted weaker at Rs 310.10/20 to the US dollar in the spot market, from Rs 310.00/10 the previous day, dealers said, while bond yields opened broadly steady.

By Hiran H Senewiratne

At the three-day SAISA Swimming 2025 Meet, The Overseas School of Colombo (OSC) turned sport into service, raising LKR 1.1 million for the Colombo Friend-in-Need Society (CFINS). OSC’s Gecko Gear Service Group ran a merchandise stall throughout the tournament, channelling student energy into community support.

Founded in 1831, CFINS is Sri Lanka’s oldest charitable organisation, providing free prosthetic limbs to those affected by landmines, accidents, or illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and vascular diseases. The organisation also offers a 30-bed ward, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, psychological support, educational grants, and entrepreneurial training.

The SAISA Opening Ceremony featured 21-year-old Sri Lankan Paralympian Naveed Raheem, CFINS Brand Ambassador, who represented Sri Lanka at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and the 2025 Para Swimming World Championships. He said, “As a para-athlete in Sri Lanka, there’s still a stigma and poor perception compared to the rest of the world – and we want to change that. Partnering with OSC is a pleasure. There aren’t many competitions or proper facilities for para-athletes here, and we need more organisations to take action.”