His Excellency Mr. Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari, Minister of Media, honored the Saudi medical team from King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh for performing the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant. The recognition took place during the fifth edition of the Media Excellence Award 2024, which celebrates creative media work across national occasions and various fields, in partnership with the Human Capability Development Program, one of the key programs under Saudi Vision 2030.
The honor reflects the remarkable contribution of the Saudi medical team, led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, Chairman of Cardiac Surgery and Deputy Executive Director of the Heart Center of Excellence, whose pioneering work marks a groundbreaking achievement in global healthcare innovation. This milestone further enhances the Kingdom’s leadership in advanced medical technologies.
The achievement has garnered widespread praise both locally and internationally, underscoring the excellence of Saudi talent in harnessing cutting-edge healthcare technologies. This recognition follows the reception of the medical team by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, reaffirming the leadership’s pride in national achievements and its commitment to fostering excellence for a brighter, more innovative future.
This global accomplishment aligns with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program under Saudi Vision 2030, which focuses on enhancing the quality of healthcare services and strengthening the Kingdom’s leadership in medical innovation.
It is worth noting that King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 15th globally in the 2025 World’s Top 250 Academic Medical Centres list. It has also been recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to Brand Finance 2024 rankings. Additionally, KFSHRC has been listed among the World’s Best Smart Hospitals for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.
For more information, visit www.kfshrc.edu.sa or contact our media team at mediacoverage@kfshrc.edu.sa