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Sheron
Sheron
Mar 23 2026
87The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has undertaken the renovation of Ward No. 03 at the historic De Soysa Hospital for Women in celebration of International Women’s Day, underscoring its ongoing commitment to women’s empowerment.
The project, undertaken through the Commercial Bank Social Responsibility Trust, was formally inaugurated at a symbolic event at the hospital, where Mr Sanath Manatunge, the Bank’s Managing Director/CEO met with the hospital’s management to exchange undertaking letters, signifying the official commencement of the renovation. The hospital was represented by its Director, Dr. Ajith Danthanarayana and Ward Head, Senior Professor Athula Kaluarachchi.
Strategically aligned with the Bank’s Women’s Month initiatives, the project underscores Commercial Bank’s commitment to strengthening maternal healthcare and enhancing the wellbeing of mothers and infants.
Established in 1879, the De Soysa Hospital for Women is the first maternity hospital in Sri Lanka and the second oldest in Asia. Founded through the philanthropy of Charles Henry de Soysa, the institution has played a pioneering role in the advancement of maternal and women’s healthcare in the country for nearly a century and a half. Today, the hospital records between 6,000 and 8,000 deliveries annually, with approximately 25,000 patient admissions each year.
Ward No. 03, which is the focus of the Bank’s renovation initiative, handles a substantial share of this patient load, accounting for approximately 2,500 to 3,000 deliveries and 4,000 to 5,000 admissions annually. The planned refurbishment is expected to significantly enhance patient care, safety and comfort, directly benefiting thousands of mothers and newborns while contributing to the overall improvement of national maternal healthcare standards.
Over the decades, De Soysa Hospital has also been at the forefront of medical advancement in Sri Lanka, including performing the country’s first caesarean section in 1905 and establishing one of its earliest organised operating theatres in 1907. It has further distinguished itself as a premier training institution in midwifery, nursing, and obstetrics and gynaecology, making an enduring contribution to the development of healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka.
The Commercial Bank Social Responsibility Trust, through which this project is implemented, serves as the Bank’s primary vehicle for delivering sustainable and impactful community initiatives. Guided by clearly defined objectives that encompass education, healthcare, environmental conservation and community development, the Trust allocates the majority of its resources to education while supporting a diverse portfolio of projects across other sectors.
In the healthcare sphere, the Trust has supported more than 100 government hospitals with essential equipment and infrastructure, contributed to emergency medical services through the ‘Adopt an Ambulance’ initiative, and implemented targeted community health interventions such as water storage solutions for families affected by kidney disease.
Among the flagship initiatives of the Trust are the establishment of more than 429 IT labs, 129 math labs and 195 STEM classrooms in underserved schools, significantly advancing access to quality education and digital literacy. The Trust has also implemented wide-ranging environmental conservation programmes, including mangrove restoration in the Koggala Lagoon, sea turtle protection efforts that have supported the release of over 85,000 turtles since 2019, and coral reef restoration projects in partnership with national stakeholders.
Commercial Bank is the first Sri Lankan bank with a market capitalisation exceeding US$ 1 Bn. and was also the first bank in the country to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World. Commercial Bank has the highest capital base among all Sri Lankan banks, is the largest private sector lender in Sri Lanka, and the largest lender to the country’s SME sector. Ranked No. 1 in the Business Today Top 40, Commercial Bank is recognised as the most respected and most-awarded Bank in Sri Lanka. Commercial Bank is also a leader in digital innovation and is Sri Lanka’s first 100% carbon-neutral bank.
Commercial Bank operates a network of 272 strategically located branches and automated machines island-wide, and has the widest international footprint among Sri Lankan banks, with 20 branches in Bangladesh, a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake in the Maldives, a microfinance company in Myanmar, and a representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The Bank’s fully owned subsidiaries, CBC Finance PLC and Commercial Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Limited, also deliver a range of financial services via their own branch networks.
