An icon in the specialty of anesthesia in this country, Prof. Dr Rahat Sultan Sahibzada, passed away on 21 September, 2012 and left for her heavenly abode, succumbing finally to chronic renal failure after a prolonged and courageous fight against her illness.
Daughter of late Col. A.K Sahibzada, she was born on 2 February, 1939 in Mardan, KPK. She hailed from a noble, educated and highly respected family of Sahibzadas. She graduated from Fatimah Jinnah Medical College, Lahore in 1964, proceeded to UK and obtained her DA while working as resident in anaesthesia at Farnborough Hospital, Kent (UK) in 1968. She later on proceeded to USA and while working as resident in anaesthesia at Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, became a diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology in 1974. As a fellow she worked in the same hospital upto 1976. She later on served as clinical assistant professor, consultant and instructor in anesthesiology at University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, J.B. Thomas hospital Peabody, Massachusetts and University of Mississippi from 1976 to 1980. From 1980-1989 she was chief of anesthesiology Veterans Administration Hospital, Mississippi Jackson and assistant professor in anesthesiology in University of Massachusetts, Worcester.
In 1989, she finally came back to Pakistan and joined Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar as professor and head of department of anesthesiology. She pioneered and helped in establishing Cardiac Surgery Unit at Lady Reading Hospital, the first of its kind in KPK province, besides starting Diploma in Anaesthesia (DA) course in Peshawar University. After retiring from active government service, she joined Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in Rehman Medical Institute and Naseer Teaching Hospital, associated with Kabir Medical College Peshawar as professor and head of department.
She was a dedicated teacher, an adorable colleague, a mentor and a competent professional. She will always be remembered for her forthrightness and contributions to the specialty of anesthesiology.
May her soul rest in eternal peace. Aameen!
By: Col Riaz Ahmed Khan
HoD, Anesthesiology & Intensive Care
Rehman Medical Complex, Peshawar (Pakistan)
