Emergency physician Luigi Carbone, previously deputy director of the authority, will take up the post on 1 August, the Vatican announced on Monday.
The southern Italian, born in 1972, was the number two in Francis' personal medical team, which was led by Professor Sergio Alfieri, Head of Internal Medicine at the Gemelli Clinic.
The anaesthetist and resuscitation specialist made a particularly valuable contribution during the 88-year-old's stay at the clinic from 14 February to 23 March. Carbone played a significant role in Francis narrowly escaping death during two severe respiratory crises at the Gemelli Clinic.
Caring for a sick Francis
He was instrumental in the decision to discharge Francis from the clinic after more than five weeks. Carbone, who has been head of the Department of Emergency and Internal Medicine at Ospedale Isola Tiberina since 2022, also looked after Francis in the Vatican afterwards, as he seemed to be on the road to recovery after his serious illness.
On 21 April, the Pope died as a result of a stroke in his flat in the Vatican guest house Santa Marta.
The "Directorate for Health and Hygiene" is an authority of the Vatican State responsible for the organisation of the health system as well as operational and official medical tasks.
This concerns both the employees of the Vatican State and the Curia of the Holy See.