Doctors say Pope Francis improving, but concerns remain ahead of one month in hospital

Record ID: 1982995

  • Title: Doctors say Pope Francis improving, but concerns remain ahead of one month in hospital
  • Date: 13th March 2025
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (MARCH 11, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS VATICAN CORRESPONDENT, JOSHUA MCELWEE, SAYING: "At this point, we don't really know how Pope Francis will be when he returns home. In hospital, he's been using oxygen basically all day in a small tube under his nose. It's possible that he will continue to use oxygen when he comes home. It's also possible
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: DOCTORS FRANCIS HEALTH POPE
  • Location: VATICAN CITY AND ROME, ITALY
  • City: VATICAN CITY AND ROME, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Europe,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA00F769310032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Pope Francis is showing signs of improvement, doctors said, as he prepares to mark one month in Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Friday (March 14), though they warned his recovery remains fragile due to his age and underlying health conditions.
    "Certainly, up until yesterday, we were still far from a mild situation, because he is relying on non-invasive ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy," said Dr. Claudio Santini, Director of the Internal Medicine Department at Rome's "Giovan Battista Grassi" hospital. "These are rather extraordinary oxygen treatments. They are essentially the antechamber to intensive care. However, improvement is underway."
    The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted in mid-February with pneumonia. While the latest bulletins from the Vatican have said he is improving and is no longer in immediate danger, doctors said his chronic health problems are likely to shape the path ahead.
    "It is entirely reasonable to expect a full recovery from pneumonia," Santini said. "Naturally, we cannot cure the chronic conditions already present before. When things go very well, those conditions return to their previous state. However, there is often some loss of functionality."
    Loredana Sarmati, a professor of infectious diseases at Tor Vergata University, said Francis still needs technical respiratory support.
    "He’s still using those well-known high-flow oxygen therapies — a type of oxygen support that can’t be used at home — and he will still need some time", Sarmati added. "Certainly not just one or two days — we expect it will be several days if not a few weeks."
    Vatican observers said it is unclear what the Pope’s schedule will look like after discharge. "It's also possible that he might have a slower agenda. He might take fewer appointments," said Reuters Vatican correspondent, Joshua McElwee.
    The pope who marks the 12th anniversary of his election as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics from the hospital on Thursday (March 13), has remained out of the public eye since early February, as prayers and vigils continue outside the hospital gates.
    (Production: Gabriele Pileri, Cristiano Cristiano, Claudia Chieppa, Roberto Mignucci, Fabiano Franchitti)
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