Asiri Hospital Holdings PLC will complete its state-of-the-art hospital in Kandy in 20 months time, Asiri Group Chairman and Managing Director Ashok Pathirage told guests at the ‘ringing of the opening bell’ ceremony at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) last week.
“We will compete and be a head of the rest of the hospitals in the province with the latest technology and experts in the health care sector of the country,” Pathirage said.
The company launched construction work on the 140-bed hospital this year and hopes to complete the work on time to provide patients the best in class facilities and service. The Rs. 5 billion hospital will comprise modern diagnostic facilities and a state-of-the-art modern laboratory. The hospital is being built on a two-acre land on the Peradeniya Road.
Asiri Group CEO Dr. Manjula Karunaratne said the company’s market cap has grown from Rs. 25 million in 1986 to over Rs. 30 billion today.
“Although a listing appeared to be tedious at first, the company has accrued a host of benefits since, including achieving a broad-based shareholding, an enhanced brand and improving its efficiencies as a result of complying with the high standards of corporate governance and transparency,” he said.
“The company will continue to share its success with all stakeholders. We are focused on driving sustainable value creation with the aim of developing into the best provider in South Asia,” he said.
CSE Charman Vajira Kulatilaka said 2017 will be a year of implementation with a focus on getting the Central Counterparty institution off the ground.
The CSE has published a Request for Information (RFI) for the supply, implementation and support of a system, or services, for a central counterparty institution to facilitate transactions in the Sri Lankan financial markets.
At present, capital market institutions use an Automated Trading System for trading and the Central Depository System (CDS) as a depository and for clearing and settlement.
“A new CCP System or Service is necessary to bring new features in clearing and risk management and replace some features of the existing systems,” a CSE official said.
The new system is expected to improve integration and provide a solid platform to support CCP operations.
Kulatilaka said Asiri Hospital Holdings adds value to the CSE as a leading institution in the healthcare sector. The stock offers investors variety and a defensive option when managing their investment portfolios.
“Healthcare is a major sector in the Stock Exchange. Asiri Hospital Holdings has fulfilled that as aspect as a giant,” Kulatilaka said.
“The CSE is facing challenging times and we are prepared to face it.The CSE will be converted into a new place next year with more listings and facilities for trading,” Kulatilaka said.