Professor Zohair Alhalees, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at King Faisal Specialist Hospital (KFSH), has been awarded the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award by the American College of Cardiology in recognition of his decades-long contributions to advancing cardiac surgery and his scientific and educational impact on cardiac care both within Saudi Arabia and internationally. The award was presented during the College’s Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans, United States, in the presence of leading cardiology experts from around the world.
Professor Alhalees’ professional career spans more than 48 years, during which he performed over 25,000 cardiac surgeries locally and internationally. He established the first congenital heart defects registry in the Middle East and played a central role in developing an integrated heart center at KFSH that brings together cardiac surgery, cardiology, and critical care, while mentoring and training dozens of young surgeons.
Internationally, he led more than 60 humanitarian and educational surgical missions across over 20 countries. His academic contributions include publishing more than 150 scientific papers and contributing to specialized reference textbooks. He was also elected President of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, becoming the first Saudi and Arab physician to hold the position.
During the award ceremony, the American College of Cardiology highlighted Professor Alhalees’ contributions to advancing heart valve replacement surgery, including a pioneering technique that replaces a damaged valve with the patient’s own tissue. This approach has enabled patients, particularly children and adolescents, to live with a valve that adapts to natural growth, reduces the need for lifelong medication, and improves long-term quality of life.
This surgical innovation, alongside his work in treating complex congenital heart defects in infants and children, has improved success rates, reduced complications, and enhanced recovery outcomes, as documented in leading international medical references, reinforcing his standing as a global pioneer in cardiac surgery.
KFSH has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and 12th globally among the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for 2026, and recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East according to Brand Finance 2025. It has also been listed by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals 2025, the World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2026, and the World’s Best Specialized Hospitals 2026.
