Contributed photo
Professor Nigel Harris (left), vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies, and wife Dr. Yvette Williams with Professor Rainford Wilks, president of the Association of Consultant Physicians of Jamaica, at the group's annual awards banquet on September 10.The Association of Consultant Physicians of Jamaica (ACPJ) paid homage to four distinguished colleagues on September 10 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
The honourees were Dr. Najeeb Hadad and Dr. Lois La Grenade for dermatology, and Professors Wendell Wilson and Nigel Harris for rheumatology.
All four physicians received glowing citations.
Dr. Hadad was described as a pioneer in the field and that other doctors should consider him a "primary reference book" on the topic.
Dr. La Grenade was hailed as a "lady, scholar, scientist, teacher and distinguished doctor."
Dr. Eddie Chung painted Professor Wilson as an outstanding teacher, family man and academic.
ACPJ president Professor Rainford Wilks spoke of the UWI's Professor Harris as a "Caribbean man of international proportions".
Guest speaker, Professor Rex Nettleford, hailed the medical profession for many advances in developing treatments and cures for illness.
He said that despite the new technologies, however, sometimes "progress brings problems and wonder drugs produce super bugs." He did express concern at the increase in cases of illness such as sickle cell, diabetes and HIV among certain people.
He noted, however, that everyone can take solace in two aspects of humanity: "the majesty of scientific medicine and the magnitude of nature's enigmatic powers."
