NBTS Director, Dr. Pedro Lewis, is a ‘Special Person’

Jul 12, 2020 News, Special Person

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Helping to revive a critical public health service…

By Rehanna Ramsay

In 2015, the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) – a critical service provider in the public health sector was operating with the minimal essential staff. The Director post at the blood bank was also vacant and the service was basically running on autopilot.
But all that changed, when Dr. Pedro Segismund Lewis, a general practitioner at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) specializing in haematology (the study of medicine and treatment of the blood), decided to step up to the challenge and assume the position as Director of the NBTS.

In his capacity as leader of the team, this week’s ‘Special Person’ used his time and efforts to help transform the work of the NBTS for the better.
Over the past five years, Dr. Lewis and his staff have worked assiduously to ensure that the NBTS moved from coping with the demand of blood from health care facilities across the country to adequately meeting those needs.
The team received a public commendation from the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) for improving operations at the NBTS last year as well as added support from the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).
Dr. Lewis recently explained that raising the standard of the NBTS was at the cost of a heightened public awareness campaign and blood drive.
He disclosed that the blood bank was always hosting blood drives to meet the needs nationally, but when he assumed the lead post of the service that increased.
Dr. Lewis explained that the increased sensitization not only helped to push the cause of the blood bank; it highlighted exactly how critical giving blood was in order to save lives.

It led to the massive collection of blood, plasma, platelets and other types of life giving bodily fluids.
Dr. Lewis noted that the campaign was necessary since the blood bank supplies public/private hospitals healthcare facilities across the country.
“There is only one NBTS in the country and we supply to healthcare facilities throughout the country on a daily basis so our work is never over. We have to keep going, the NBTS is critical to ensuring that hundreds of surgeries and other medical procedures end successfully,” he said.
In addition to the work at the blood bank, this week’s ‘Special Person’ is actively involved in helping to write the protocol for the experimental treatment for COVID –19 patients.
In this capacity, he is responsible for the collection of the convalescent plasma from the recovered COVID- 19 patients that contain the antibodies against the virus which is to be used to treat patients suffering from the deadly infection.
Dr. Lewis is also a part –time lecturer at the University of Guyana in the Faculty of Health Sciences. He teaches his specialty –haematology and blood banking. He is a happily married father of one, who holds the belief that family support is essential to his success as a medical doctor.
EARLY INTEREST
Growing up in a modest household along the Essequibo Coast, the young Lewis showed an early interest in the field of medical science.
This is understandable given that his mother, Bernadette Abrams, worked as a Matron at the Suddie Hospital, Essequibo Coast. His father, Segismund Abrams (Lewis), was a clerk at the Guyana Power Light Company.

Our ‘Special Person’ is the eldest of five siblings raised in a modest Abrams Zuil, Essequibo household. As the older brother to Pedanthony, Perriano, Pedrico and Petricia, Dr. Lewis spent many of his boyhood days doing much of the usual stuff boys of his time did.
He played cricket, grazed cows and took care of pigs and other domestic animals, swam at the seaside and creek and gorged on whatever fruits there was to find.
While that was fun, the young Lewis found himself frequently sneaking through his mom’s medical books and records. He would stare at illustrations up until he was capable of reading them on his own.
This was where his earliest desires to work in the medical field originated.
As he explained, “Though then I didn’t know exactly how this would materialize, it was certain that it’s where my calling was.”
As a youngster, Dr. Lewis knew reaching his goal would require much studies and academic success.
So, he worked hard to keep his grades up when he attended Fisher Primary, the Abrams Zuil Secondary School and Anna Regina Multilateral.
After completing his secondary education, Dr. Lewis went on to pursue the Diploma in Science programme at the Georgetown Technical Institute (1999-2000).
He later went on to the University of Guyana to pursue an Associate Degree in Medical Technology. Between 2006 and 2013 he read for his Medical Degree in General Medicine from Calixto Garcia University of Havanna, Cuba and from 2018 to 2020 he obtained a Specialist Degree in Immunohaematology, Blood Banking, Cellular Therapy and Hematherapy from Asociacion Argentina Hemoterapia Inmunohematologia Therapa cellular (AAHT) in Argentina, University Hospital of Pilar.

CHOOSING MEDICINE
However, for Dr. Lewis the path to becoming a certified medical doctor and hematologist was not straight.
Prior to embarking on a medical career, Lewis worked at Banks DIH from 2000-2001 as a Lab Technician in the Chemistry lab prior to attending the University of Guyana.
He also worked at the NBTS as a Medical Technologist under the stewardship of Dr. Clement McEwan and Ms. Lynette Hardy from 2004 to 2006. His work with the blood bank was so exemplary that he was awarded the Best Performing Medical Technologist in 2005.
Dr. Lewis stressed, however, that a career in medicine was always his first love. Thus, after completing his studies, he worked as a General Practitioner at the GPHC and the Diamond Diagnostic Centre from 2014 to 2015.
Owing to the combination of work experience and qualifications as both a Medical Technologist and Medical Doctor a request was made for Dr. Lewis to be transferred to the NBTS in December 2015.
CRITICAL SERVICE
When Dr. Lewis decided to return to the service of the blood bank, the post of Director was vacant for two years and the NBTS was running on the minimum amount of essential staff.
“It was basically running on autopilot,” he said adding that “I discerned that the staff was enthusiastic to do more and try different things.”
As head of the team, Dr. Lewis pushed a massive sensitization campaign, which led to the satisfactory collection of the high demand for platelets with the introduction of the procurement and use of the apheresis machine which allowed the blood bank to not only meet the demand but also improve on quality.
In addition, Dr. Lewis was instrumental in drafting the completion of a Transfusion Guideline and Strategic Plan in Blood Banking for increase in collection of blood products; implementation of an Immuno-haematology Lab which allows the facility to do profound testing and identification of antibodies in all blood units.
He also pushed for the creation of more collection sites with a new collection site in Region Nine and increased human resource capacity at all collection sites.
Dr. Lewis explained that given the NBTS’ responsibility to supply the entire country, the biggest challenge of blood banking and transfusion medicine is not limited to collection, distribution but now emphasis has to be extended to the usage of blood products since there are countless therapeutic possibilities.
Most recently, Dr. Lewis and his team have been involved in the collection of convalescent plasma to aid with the treatment protocol of COVID-19 patients.
He explained that the convalescent plasma is plasma collected from recovered COVID-19 patients that contain the antibodies against the virus.
“That plasma is then used to treat critical patients who suffered from the infection with the intention of using it to fight the same viral infection.”
Dr. Lewis said, however, that his career is one which has its fair share of challenges and therefore teamwork is key to any success story.
He credits the achievements of the NBTS to the collective effort of the staff, Public Health Ministry, PAHO/WHO and many other stakeholders and organizations that contribute to the entire process.
BIGGEST INFLUENCE
In addition to a supportive team from the blood bank, the Health Ministry and the amazing team at PAHO/WHO, Dr. Lewis said that his genuine love for his work is a motivation. He also counts his extended family and friends among his biggest supporters.
He said, “The biggest influences originated from my extended family and being around very good people and mature individuals.
I cannot complain when it comes to support from my family, wherever my parents come short, there is always an uncle, an aunt or even my grandparents, and this speaks also in the area of discipline. I also have constant support from Argentina and my mentor Dr. Anna Del Pozo.”
Aside from work, Dr. Lewis is an avid lover of cricket. While he doesn’t get to play the sport much, he always enjoys watching a good match.
In addition, he loves spending time with his family.
Asked about motivating factors of his career, Dr. Lewis said, “I’m married to a very smart and beautiful woman, Jennel Lewis. She is a teacher and holds a MBA in Education. We’ve been married for 14 years. It’s simply wonderful to be married to someone who isn’t just your spouse but also your friend. I’m proud to say that she has been extremely supportive of my occupational and academic aspirations as much as I have been of hers. We have a beautiful four year- old daughter, Nailah who is as passionate as her mother.”
He added, “being a doctor has given me a very tangible way to help people. It gives me a feeling that I am truly impacting lives, making a difference and truly contributing positively to society. My daughter thinks I’m a superhero because of what I do. If you ask me, that’s motivation enough.”
Further, the NBTS Director stated that having a supportive partner makes balancing work and family pretty easy.
“Family time comes easy because when I’m not working I’m spending time with the people that matters most, family. We’d do so much together, it’ll range from studying together late at nights to cooking together to being able to enjoy the little things like kicking ball or running around with my daughter or just goofing off with my wife and daughter.
It’s basically working, family and keeping my knowledge as current as possible,” he explained.
Asked what advice he would give to other people aiming for a career in medicine, Dr. Lewis said “it is important that you are passionate about caring for people because in essence, being a doctor is being a humanitarian. Also be prepared to study and work hard at being a doctor.”
He stressed too that “there is no end to when you’re going to be done with studying, but if you’re truly loving what you do, you’ll see that it comes with the territory.”

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