Saint Lucia’s newest polyclinic, the Dr. Betty Wells Urban Polyclinic will be open to the public on Monday, December 16 at the Dr. Winston C. Parris Medical Complex, formerly known as Victoria Hospital.
Wells was the first female doctor to work in Saint Lucia.
Dr. Betty Bennett Wells, the daughter of Physician Robert Balfour Barnetson, was born in Joppa, Scotland on May 8th, 1910. She obtained her medical degree at the University of Edinburgh in 1935.
As a young medical doctor, she met and married Vaugh Wells, a St. Lucian medical student. In 1938, after completing her internship, Dr. Wells and her husband travelled to St. Lucia, where she dedicated her life to service to the people. She was the first female doctor to work in Saint Lucia from 1939 until her retirement in 1963.
Dr. Betty Wells was appointed to the St. Lucia Medical Service as a District Medical Officer for Dennery Village and its environs with responsibility for casualty and several health centres. In spite of the difficulties she encountered with being the island’s lone female doctor, she was able to serve in a number of areas including Anesthesiology and Resident Surgeon for Victoria Hospital in charge of Infant Welfare and the Female Clinic, Medical Officer for the Nursing School and Assistant Medical Officer.
She also served in the Castries, Gros Islet and Babonneau Health Centres. She immersed herself in the culture and language of the people and learned kweyol to enable her to communicate with the locals. She was a mother of three, Ann, Robert, (who passed away in a car accident overseas) and Amish.
Dr. Wells worked long hours and would be found in her office from as early as 5.30 a.m. She also did much charitable work for the Sacred Heart and Mount Carmel Confraternities, the Legion of Mary, the Marian Home and the Ladies of Charity where she served as Secretary for several years.
Her long and distinguished service was acknowledged by the bestowment of the Order of the British Empire on her in 1979. Dr. Wells passed away in 1980. (More on the Dr Betty Wells Urban Polyclinic here)