Vatican Children’s Hospital ranked 6th best in the world

By Isabella H. de Carvalho

The Holy See’s children’s hospital, Bambino Gesù, is considered the leading paediatric hospital in Europe and the 6th best in the world, according to the US magazine Newsweek’s 2026 World’s Best Hospitals ranking.

Created in collaboration with the data gathering company, Statista, the ranking highlights leading hospitals around the world in 12 medical fields, including paediatrics. The 2026 edition evaluated 2,500 hospitals in 32 countries.

The ranking is compiled with information gathered from a comprehensive international survey of healthcare professionals, independent data on the quality of care and patient safety, and indicators derived from their assessments and reported clinical outcomes.

The daily teamwork of the hospital community

“This recognition stems from the daily teamwork of the entire hospital community: doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals, technical and administrative staff, researchers, volunteers, and religious personnel who, together, take care of children and their families,” said Tiziano Onesti, President of the Bambino Gesù Hospital, in a press release published by the establishment.

“It is the quiet dedication of these women and men—in the wards, laboratories, offices, reception, and support services—that makes highly specialized care possible, combined with attention to the human and relational aspects of treatment,” he emphasized.

The press release highlights that Bambino Gesù is the only paediatric hospital operating within the Italian healthcare system to be included among the top 30.

It also explains that this recognition shows the hospital’s growth over the years, as it has obtained important international certifications such as the JCI accreditation as an Academic Medical Center for training and clinical and scientific research.

Additionally, the press release underlines how Bambino Gesù is today the leading paediatric centre in Europe in terms of the number of affiliations with European reference networks for rare diseases (affiliated with 20 out of 24 networks).

It records almost 3 million outpatient services, 100,000 visits to the emergency room, and over 33,000 surgical procedures every year.

An encouragement to continue in their mission

“Being recognized by Newsweek as the top pediatric hospital in Europe and sixth in the world is a source of gratitude to all the people who work in our hospital every day,” President Onesti emphasized.

He added that this recognition is also an encouragement to continue in their work and do even more to provide “advanced, equitable, and person-centered care”

“We will continue to strive to share experiences and knowledge within the national healthcare system and with the international community, in order to offer all young patients the best possible care,” he said.

The press release also stated that the Bambino Gesù Hospital expresses its gratitude to the families who entrust their children to their care, to the Holy See for its support, to the Italian National Health Service and the various institutions, associations, and benefactors and partners, who help the establishment in its service to young people and children.