ospedale salus pueri
English

Inauguration of the New Veneto Pediatric Hospital ‘Salus Pueri’

Italian version

08.10.2025

The new Veneto Pediatric Hospital ‘Salus Pueri’ has been inaugurated in the heart of the eastern section of the 'Ospedale di Padova' pavilion complex. This modern and welcoming facility was designed to meet the needs of young patients and their families. The inauguration took place this morning in the presence of Rector Daniela Mapelli, President of the Veneto Region Luca Zaia, General Director of the Padua Hospital-University (AOPD) Giuseppe Dal Ben, and many others who have passionately supported and contributed to this project over the years.

The new building, connected to the spaces dedicated to obstetrics and gynecology, will span eight floors with a total area of approximately 20,000 square meters, located in the area formerly occupied by the Pulmonology department. The facility will feature 155 beds, six operating rooms, and 26 specialized pediatric units. Each room will also include dedicated spaces for caregivers, to support the presence of parents alongside their children.

Special attention has been given to the design of the interior spaces, conceived to support the healing process and improve the hospitalization experience. The hospital is intended to be not only a place of care, but also one of comfort and life.

interni salus pueri

Inspired by the theme of nature, the project will transform the spaces into a true journey through the Earth's biomes: from rainforests to savannas, deserts to glaciers — offering young patients an educational and immersive experience during their stay.

Each floor is characterized by a color and a symbol inspired by nature and by the paths of the Botanical Garden of Padua and the Museum of Nature and Humankind – University of Padua, creating a pathway that makes the Pediatric Hospital not only a place of care, but also one of welcome and growth.

Some parts of the project are still to be completed, including the development of the southern area, which will feature two entrance vestibules — one for the main entrance and one for the emergency room — as well as the construction of a glass-covered pedestrian walkway with adjacent pedestrian paths. This final phase is expected to be completed in the autumn of 2026.

Construction of the new Pediatric Hospital began on March 17, 2022, and the main works were completed in September 2025, after a total of 3,103 days. The total investment amounts to €107 million: €92 million for construction and €15 million for medical equipment, €1 million of which came from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) funds.

Promoted by the Veneto Region, the Padua Hospital Authority (AOPD), and the University of Padua, the project was born from the need to provide the region with a larger, more modern facility capable of streamlining care pathways and centralizing intensive and surgical activities.

The Pediatric Department of Padua is the largest institution in the Northeast dedicated to children's healthcare: each year, it records approximately 10,000 hospital admissions, 25,000 emergency room visits, 320,000 outpatient appointments, and 2,800 births.