Statement by Palazzo Chigi on transfer of a newborn infant from the UK to Rome’s Bambino Gesù Hospital

The Presidency of the Council of Ministers announces that an infant with Italian citizenship, who was born in the United Kingdom a few days ago with a very serious heart defect, has been transferred to the Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital in Rome, after landing at Ciampino airport on Italian Air Force flight C130 at 6.30pm on Tuesday 23 April.

The Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital in Rome has expressed its readiness to provide the necessary care, in accordance with the family’s wishes.

This transfer required a comprehensive organisational effort, involving the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with the Undersecretary of State’s Office, Diplomatic Advisor’s Office and Flight Service Office, the Ministry of Defence with the Italian Air Force, the Ministry of Health, the ‘ASL Roma 1’ local health authority and the Bambino Gesù Hospital, all with the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Embassy in London and the Consulate General of Italy in London.

There was full and fruitful cooperation with the health authorities in the United Kingdom, and in particular with the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

The high level of professionalism of the doctors at Rome’s Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital together with the efficiency of all administrations involved enabled this complex and delicate transfer to be completed successfully, one of the first of its kind for such a small patient with such a serious condition.

The Presidency of the Council of Ministers thanks all those who worked so hard to make this possible.