Riyadh: Saudi hospitals maintained their top position in the Middle East and Africa for the second consecutive year in the global ranking of the best 250 hospitals for 2024, according to "Brand Finance."

The ranking included seven Saudi hospitals, with five of them ranking among the top 100 globally.

Leading the list of Saudi hospitals is King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC), which retained its top position in the local and regional healthcare sector.

Mayo Clinic, an American hospital, claimed the top spot in the ranking, with the United States dominating 11 positions among the top 25 hospitals. The list also included several European hospitals.

Notably, this year, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) jumped to the third position, making it the leading healthcare institution outside the United States.

The ranking, based on the opinions of thousands of healthcare practitioners in over 30 countries, included the Saudi hospitals of KFSH&RC, King Saud Medical City (KSMC), King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), National Guard Health Affairs, King Fahd Medical City (KFMC), King Fahd University Hospital, and King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC).

The last two hospitals were ranked between 101 and 205, while the remaining Saudi hospitals were among the top 100 globally.

Observers attribute the notable presence of Saudi hospitals in the global ranking to the initiatives of the Healthcare Sector Transformation Program, one of the programs of Saudi Vision 2030 launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

They also believe that such achievement is a result of the unlimited support provided by the wise leadership to the healthcare sector, reflecting the quality of services offered to citizens and residents, as well as medical accomplishments in various fields.