PROLOGUE I was very pleased to read the editorials on the departed editorial board members, and on the silver anniversary of the Pan Arab Congress of Anesthesia.[1 2] It reflected a good gesture of recognition and remembrance. I would like as well to pay tributes to the departed Saudi anesthesiologists who contributed to the service of anesthesia during the last century. I shall as well have similar contributions on the editorial board to many leaders in anesthesiology. In the Arab world like Prof Salah Al Halabi, Mohamad Hamed Shaker and many others who paved the way for our existing growing development in the profession.[3] Those are Saudi anesthesiologists who served anesthesia in KSA in the last century. DR. MOHAMED ISHAQ AL KHAWASHKI Dr. Mohamed Ishaq Al Khawashki was a Saudi national who was born in 1931 in Jerusalem, Palestine [Figure 1]. Figure 1 Late Dr. M. I. al Khawashki He is considered to be the first qualified Saudi anesthetist in the Kingdom. He graduated in 1958 from Cairo Medical College. He worked for a few years in Riyadh Hospital. In 1960, the first two Saudi graduate doctors, Abdullah Al-Enazy and Ishaq Al Khawashki were sent to Denmark on scholarship to obtain their diploma degrees in anesthesia. Both graduated successfully in 1962. Only Dr. Ishaq Al Khawashki returned and worked in Riyadh Central Hospital, Ministry of Health. At that time there were very few expatriate anesthetists who covered several operating theatres and nights on call. Sometimes they even covered more than one hospital within the city. Dr. Ishaq Al Khawashki started to build the department of anesthesia and participated actively in supervising and updating the curriculum for the diploma of anesthesia for technicians, which had started earlier. The program consisted of a three-year training program. This period was called the technician′s era. The main objective was to produce anesthesia technicians to overcome the shortage of specialist manpower and provide a reasonable service at that time. He was highly respected as a commander with dedication and leadership in his field. He was loved by everyone. His leadership was extended to manage the main hospital in Riyadh. During his successful practice as consultant anesthetist and general director of Riyadh Central Hospital he managed to obtain his medical doctorate in anesthesia from Cairo Medical College in 1977. He continued as general director of the anesthesia department and director of the hospital until 1982. He served as Consultant to the WHO from 1982 until he died. He has several publications on Safety and Road Traffic Accidents, Spinal Cord Injury and Body Cooling Unit. One of the most important developing points in his life was being the principle inventor of the “Body Cooling Unit” which became the standard of care for heat stroke management since the eighties and until now in numerous hospitals during Hajj seasons. He was selected Member of the Editorial Board of the Saudi Medical Journal, Middle East Journal of Anesthesia and the Medical Journal issued by the Ministry of Health. He departed on August 12 2006. MOHAMMED S. SINDI [MAKKAH AL MUKKARAMAH] Dr. M. Sindi was a Saudi anesthetist who was born on 5 May 1957, in Jeddah where he grew up and obtained his high school degree [Figure 2]. He joined the Vienna Medical College and graduated in 1992. He spent a few years of his medical training in Saudi Arabia from 1992-95. He was sent on scholarship as a resident, in the anesthesia and ICU department at Vienna University in Austria. He joined the residency training program of the Austrian Medical Association pertaining to the specialized degree in anesthesiology and intensive care. He obtained his FACHARZT in anesthesiology and intensive care from the College of Medicine, Vienna. Figure 2 Late Dr. M. Sindi He was appointed Assistant Professor and Director of Anesthesia and Surgical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Science, Umm al-Qura University. He was practicing as consultant and head of the department of Anesthesia, Al-Noor specialist Hospital. Later, he became specialist hospital coordinator for the national organ donor program in the holy city of Makkah. He was a member of the medico-legal Committee in the Region of Makkah Al-Mukaramah and chairman of the Makkah anesthesiologists′ club. He was appointed as Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Science, Umm Al-Qura University. He was nominated to the Saudi Council for the specialty of anesthesia and intensive care of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). Mohamed was a pleasant, highly motivated, hardworking and dedicated person. Unfortunately, our real contact and experience with him was short-lived as he died in 2008. We all badly miss a colleague, friend and wonderful person. He was a Member of the Austrian Association of Anesthesiology, CPR and Intensive Medicine and active member of the Saudi Association of Anesthesia. He was Registered Instructor of the Society of Critical Care Medicine of Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS).
