Medical practitioner restoring hope to the critically ill

BOUNDBROOK, Portland:

Passionate about the well-being of people, especially those in dire need of medical help, Dr Hugh Ellis is determined to provide quality patient care to those who are critically ill and may have lost all hope of recovering.

Ellis, who spent approximately 28 years in Canada teaching ultrasound in a career that has so far span 35 years, has received high praises from most of his patients at the Wellness Centre at Boundbrook in Portland.

A medical doctor and general practitioner by profession, Ellis has the distinction of making the impossible possible, with accurate diagnosis, especially among persons stricken with underlying illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension, where the rate of recovery and stabilisation thus far is reportedly at a staggering 94 per cent.

Having spent five years in The Bahamas and almost a year in the United States, Ellis took the decision to return to Jamaica, the land of his birth, to give back and to make his contribution to a society that was integral during his learning years at Calabar High School and The University of the West Indies (UWI).

“Twenty-eight years in Canada is indeed a long time, but nevertheless, my heart was always about Jamaica, the most beautiful space on earth,” said Ellis.

“After spending time in other countries, I decided to return to Jamaica to give back to my community and the society at large. I treat patients whose illnesses range from minor infections to complex things like heart attack, and even COVID. Hypertension and diabetes are like pigmentations in people of colour; we seem to have it so much among us.”

He continued, “It is pretty easy to treat diabetes. When I say easy, I have to get it under control first of all. I still believe that diabetes is one of those reversible conditions. And in treating diabetes, I just don’t give people medications. You have to tell people about lifestyle changes, exercise, getting those, what we call transporters, back into the muscle. I’m a strong advocate for lifestyle changes.”

GOOD BEING THE GATEKEEPER

According to Ellis, the complications from diabetes are so great that persons have to make drastic adjustments in their habits to adequately treat the illness with levels of accuracy, so as to guarantee success. He noted that his way of treating diabetes and hypertension has got the desired results, which has provided hope and a new lease on life for many.

“I have treated a large number of people at the hospital, but this is a stage where people almost have two feet in the grave at hospital. I like to work in a general practitioner setting where I can make the right diagnosis for patients and provide them with the necessary treatment and patient care for full recovery; counsel them before it gets to the hospital stage,” he said.

“I think it is good being a gatekeeper, to prevent people from going on the other side. When you’re hospital-bound, your demise is almost 90 per cent. Offering patients hope, relaxation, sound advice, counselling, and encouraging them to make lifestyle changes is a recipe for full recovery.”

The general practitioner, who is also providing service in the field of bedside ultrasound and ultrasonography (sonography), has 30 years experience in the field of imaging, which enables him not only to read his own X-rays, but to also do and read his own ultrasound.

Dr Ellis admitted, however, that whenever he has complex cases, patients have to be referred to the hospital or to a specialist.

He noted that as a general practitioner, his desire to help the sick is a driven passion that will never die. Dr Ellis commended what he described as the professional attitude of Dr Tracey Lumley, who, according to him, is the real driving force at the Wellness Centre in Portland.

editorial@gleanerjm.com