Saudi hospital climbs global rankings
The hospital confirmed its position as the top hospital in Saudi Arabia for the fourth consecutive year, according to Newsweek's 2025 ranking of the world's best hospitals.
KFSHRC jumped 20 places from last year's list, a 9 percent improvement in the prestigious ranking, according to the hospital's statement to Arab News.
The Saudi hospital is ranked 209th in the global ranking and is the only health facility from Arab and African countries on the list.
More than 2,400 hospitals were ranked this year, with an annual list of the top 250 hospitals published by Newsweek.
According to global data platform Statista, the number of hospitals worldwide is projected to reach 215,977 by 2026.
'With an overwhelming number of hospitals to choose from to close the gap and help prospective patients find the best care possible, Newsweek and Statista are proud to present the World's Best Hospitals 2025, which shares the top hospitals worldwide,' Newsweek's World's Best Hospitals 2025 reported on its website.
This year's ranking lists the best hospitals in 30 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UAE, the United Kingdom and the United States. These countries were selected based on numerous comparability factors, such as standard of living, life expectancy, population size, number of hospitals and data availability.
The ranking is based on an extensive evaluation process, including an online survey of thousands of medical experts (doctors, hospital managers and healthcare professionals), patient experience data, hospital quality metrics and a Patient-Reported Outcome Measures implementation survey.
KFSHRC's excellence is demonstrated through groundbreaking achievements such as the world's first fully robotic heart transplant and the first fully robotic implantation of an artificial heart pump.
In 2024, KFSHRC set a record with 1,111 organ transplants in a year, including 500 successful kidney transplants through the paired exchange program, reinforcing its status as a global leader in complex surgeries and organ transplantation.
The hospital also provided advanced medical care to patients from 17 countries, solidifying Saudi Arabia's position as a premier destination for healthcare.
Notably, KFSHRC was ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and 15th globally in the list of the world's top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year and has been recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2025 Brand Finance rankings, the hospital said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi woman donates 80% of her liver to co-wife in rare act of generosity
Saudi Gazette report TAIF — In a remarkable display of sacrifice and compassion, a Saudi woman in Taif donated 80 percent of her liver to her husband's second wife, ending her long battle with kidney failure. Noura Salem Al-Shammari, the first wife of Majed Baldah Al-Roqi, stepped forward to help her co-wife, Taghreed Awadh Al-Saadi, after seeing her suffer from years of dialysis. The act has been hailed locally as an extraordinary gesture of selflessness. Al-Roqi told Okaz that his wife Taghreed had endured kidney failure for years and had traveled to the United States for a year in search of treatment, but without success. Upon her return to the Kingdom, Al-Roqi decided to donate one of his kidneys to ease her suffering. 'I entrusted Um Turki [Noura] with our five children in case anything happened to me during surgery,' he recalled. 'But I was surprised when she announced she would donate 80 percent of her liver to Taghreed, purely for the sake of God.' The transplant surgery was successful after medical tests confirmed tissue compatibility. 'She came like rain to revive barren desert,' Al-Roqi said of his first wife's life-saving gift.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Arab News
How Saudi Arabia is helping the developing world cook clean and breathe easy
RIYADH: In many parts of the world, the simple act of cooking dinner can be deadly. Across sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, millions of families rely on open fires and traditional stoves that burn wood, charcoal, or kerosene — methods that fill homes with toxic smoke, worsen environmental degradation, and contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions. While such practices are rare in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom is taking a leading role in tackling this silent crisis abroad. With nearly 4 million premature deaths each year linked to indoor air pollution from cooking, the stakes could not be higher. According to the World Bank, traditional cooking fuels contribute 2 percent of all global carbon dioxide emissions and a staggering 58 percent of black carbon emissions — pollutants known to accelerate climate change and damage human health. The problem is particularly acute in sub-Saharan Africa, where the International Energy Agency says 960 million people — nearly three-quarters of the population — lack access to clean cooking alternatives. Globally, more than 2 billion people still cook using polluting methods, exposing themselves and their families to harmful smoke on a daily basis. 'A third of people on the planet lack access to clean fuels, instead cooking on polluting open fires or simple stoves fuelled by kerosene, biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal,' according to the World Economic Forum. 'Inhaling these toxic fumes kills more people than malaria — and women are disproportionately affected.' • In many developing countries, women and children spend around 10 hours each week gathering firewood for household cooking. • Efficient stoves can cut fuel consumption by up to 60 percent, significantly lowering indoor pollution and carbon emissions. • The Clean Cooking Alliance says cleaner cooking technology reduces the risk and severity of respiratory illness in young children. The health risks are severe. The World Health Organization estimates that household air pollution from cooking causes respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, and cancer — all leading to early mortality. 'Millions of people are dying of heart disease, stroke, cancer, pneumonia, because they still rely on dirty fuels and cooking technologies,' Dr. Maria Neira, director of the environment, climate change and health department at the WHO, told Equal Times. 'Women and children are particularly at risk. They spend most of their time in and around the home.' Beyond the human cost, the environmental toll is immense. Firewood and charcoal harvesting drive deforestation, while incomplete combustion releases methane and other potent greenhouse gases. The IEA estimates that expanding access to clean cooking solutions could eliminate up to 1.5 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions in just five years — and 900 million tons of that could come from sub-Saharan Africa alone. 'Provision of clean cooking for all is recognized as a critical cross-sectoral development issue,' Dr. Yabei Zhang of the World Bank Clean Cooking Fund said in a report for the World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program. 'The potential societal benefits are enormous, particularly for public health, women's productivity and empowerment, and the environment.' To help bridge this gap, Saudi Arabia has stepped up. At the 2021 Future Investment Initiative, held shortly after the launch of the Middle East Green Initiative, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman unveiled plans for a $2 billion fund to provide clean cooking fuel to over 750 million people worldwide. 'This stems from the idea of creating a fund where we aim to mitigate health issues of people who use biomass to cook food,' he said, according to Saudi financial news outlet Argaam. This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field) That vision has since taken shape through various international projects to promote cooperation on sustainable fuel solutions. One of these is the Empowering Africa initiative, a Saudi program, announced during the MENA Climate Week conference in Riyadh in 2023, focused on providing clean energy, connectivity, e-health, and e-education solutions to communities across Africa. Launched by Saudi Arabia's Oil Sustainability Program with the support of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Health, the initiative builds on the Middle East Green Initiative's Clean Fuel Solutions for Cooking Program. It aims to improve lives and promote sustainable development in Africa by addressing energy access, digital inclusion, and healthcare challenges, and includes the provision of electric stoves to rural communities. The initiative reflects the Kingdom's commitment to tackling global environmental and social challenges, while fostering public engagement and strengthening international regulatory cooperation in the pursuit of a more sustainable future. While the road ahead is long, the message from Riyadh is clear: Clean cooking is not just a matter of convenience — it is a public health imperative, a climate solution, and a human right. And Saudi Arabia is determined to help light that fire.
Makkah Newspaper
5 days ago
- Makkah Newspaper
Saudi FDA Leading a Journey of Continuous Excellence and Development
Dear reader, according to recent reports and statistics from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), significant and remarkable developments have been achieved over the past few years across all regulated sectors. These developments have solidified the SFDA's standing as a leading regulatory body, not only in the region but also globally. This continuous advancement is part of broader efforts to improve and regulate pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and food products, sectors that are critically important to public health. SFDA is notably one of only three national regulatory bodies worldwide, alongside those of Singapore and South Korea, to have attained maturity level four (ML4) in the regulation of medicines and vaccines, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Achieving this highest level of regulatory competency underscores the exceptional capabilities and efficiency of the SFDA. Furthermore, in 2023, the SFDA became the first Arab member of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S), an achievement that highlightsinternational trust in Saudi Arabia's pharmaceutical oversight capabilities. Additionally, the SFDA collaborates closely with prominent global organizations such as the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF), the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) of pharmaceuticals, and Codex Alimentarius, which ensures global food safety standards. These partnerships significantly contribute to harmonizing local and international regulatory systems and standards, enhancing the quality of healthcare and food products both within Saudi Arabia and internationally. The SFDA's regulatory role has notably expanded beyond its traditional functions of approving pharmaceuticals and medical devices. At the recent Global HealthSpan Summit held in Riyadh, Dr. Hisham Bin Saad Al-Jadhey, CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), emphasized that the role of regulatory authorities has become increasingly comprehensive and influential. He explained that SFDA's responsibilities now extend beyond ensuring safety and efficacy to actively supporting innovation, adopting advanced health technologies, and regulating health practices that impact all aspects of the healthcare system. A key component of these broader responsibilities is the growing emphasis on the role of nutrition in public health. Recognizing Saudi Arabia's high incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, the SFDA has launched several practical initiatives aimed at reducing these health challenges. These include implementing clear labeling of calorie content, restricting salt content, and minimizing sugar and trans fats in food products. These initiatives are not limited to food alone but extend to incorporating modern health technologies into daily societal practices, significantly contributing to public health improvements and reducing hospital admissions related to chronic diseases. Moreover, the SFDA plays a crucial role in stimulating investment and growth within the regulated sectors by creating a safe and efficient regulatory environment that encourages innovation and product development. Balancing safety, efficiency, and innovation not only fosters growth in local healthcare industries but also enhances Saudi Arabia's global reputation as a leading investment and health destination. The importance of these developments is evident, as they significantly enhance Saudi Arabia's international standing and its attractiveness to global investors in the healthcare and food sectors. Furthermore, these advancements positively impact the national economy by creating new investment opportunities, generating high-quality jobs for citizens, and generally improving public health quality. Consequently, Saudi Arabia has become a global model in healthcare regulation and food and drug safety. In conclusion, dear reader, the continuous and significant achievements of the SFDA underscore the ambitious vision adopted by the Kingdom to establish an advanced healthcare system based on global best practices, fundamentally aimed at enhancing the quality of life and ensuring public health and safety. These ongoing efforts solidify Saudi Arabia's position as a leader in healthcare at both regional and global levels.
