King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh has secured first place in the Middle East for oncology and orthopedics in Newsweek’s Best Specialized Hospitals: Middle East 2026 rankings, developed in partnership with Statista. This recognition underscores KFSHRC’s role as a regional leader in specialized healthcare and highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing prominence in the global health landscape.
KFSHRC
In a statement released today, KFSHRC explained that the Newsweek rankings are determined by three key criteria: expert recommendations gathered through an international survey of healthcare professionals and hospital executives; evaluations of general and specialty-specific accreditations and certifications; and patient-reported outcome measures that assess improvements in quality of life and daily functioning after treatment.
The achievement coincides with a year of major clinical and technological advances at KFSHRC, particularly in advanced therapies and precision surgery.
Since launching its T-cell therapy program in 2021, the hospital has treated more than 200 patients and recently opened Saudi Arabia’s first gene and cell therapy manufacturing facility to enhance local access and support technology localization. KFSHRC also achieved a global milestone by performing the world’s first robotic surgery to remove an intracranial brain tumor, with the patient discharged within 24 hours.
The statement attributed KFSHRC’s strong performance in Newsweek’s regional rankings to the initiatives of the Health Sector Transformation Program, one of the pillars of Saudi Vision 2030 launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The ranking reflects the high standard of healthcare services delivered across the Kingdom.
Previously, KFSHRC was ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 15th worldwide among the top 250 academic medical centers for 2025.
It has also been named the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East by Brand Finance 2024, and featured in Newsweek’s lists of the World’s Best Hospitals for 2025, the World’s Best Smart Hospitals for 2026, and the World’s Best Specialized Hospitals for 2026.
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