Prof. Naji Al-Zaid
Professor Naji Al-Zaid, a Kuwaiti professor, physiologist, medical educationist, scientist, author, and respected journalist, passed away peacefully in Kuwait on January 1, 2024, surrounded by his wife, Dr. Moudi, his sons Saud and Fawaz, and relatives. After obtaining doctoral qualification from London in the mid-seventies of the last century, Professor Naji returned to Kuwait where he was invited by the founding Dean of the Medical Faculty of Kuwait University to be part of the newly established Department of Physiology. Though he never sought any administrative role, he immediately went into action to recruit the best academics worldwide and support staff. He established an excellent department imparting contemporary courses on medical physiology to students. He helped promote research in the department, as a result of which the academic staff started publishing research papers in quality international journals. He excelled in his chosen area of study and published regularly. He nurtured the department and maintained a friendly and pleasant environment conducive to innovative and creative thinking. Throughout his time in the department and after retirement, he was keenly associated with overseeing the continuous progress of the department, advising and encouraging undergraduate and graduate students. He was always sought out by the faculty and the university administration for advice to solve abstract problems. His sound advice helped Professor Juggi (one of the authors of this obituary) resolve complicated issues when he was chairman of the Department of Physiology and later Vice-Dean (Academic Affairs) of the College of Medicine. He developed close, professional, and friendly relationships with the staff of other departments, notably Professors Abdullatif Al-Bader and Hussain Dashti (authors of this obituary).
For many years, Professor Naji was Editor-in-Chief of this journal, Medical Principles and Practice. During his tenure, he played a vital role in improving the quality of the journal by refining the screening process before accepting papers for publication. He also introduced strategies to promote the journal nationally and internationally. These improvements led to a considerable increase in the rating of the journal.
He was a respected member of the Guild of Kuwait Journalists and used to contribute a column in popular Arabic newspapers analysing the country's current affairs. His pen was stronger than his tongue and his commentaries invited respect from his peers. In the passing away of Professor Naji, the College and the University have lost an able academic, the staff of the Department of Physiology have lost an honest broker, and Kuwaiti society has been deprived of an inquisitive journalist. But above all, his wife has lost a lovable husband, his children a caring father and his family a gifted son. We offer our condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family for this unbearable loss. The following lines of William Wadsworth sum up his life: “That best portion of a good man's life, are his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”
