Dr Patrick Ijewere is our Personality for January

pharmacy

Dr Patrick Abhulime Ijewere is the chief executive officer/founder, The Nutrition Hospital & Wellness Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos. The centre specialises in the prevention and reversal of chronic degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, allergies, arthritis, depression, dementia, liver disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders, using a nutritional, natural, wellness model.

A team player, with the vision to transform healthcare in Africa, Ijewere also co-founded Carib Health Centre, which focuses on wellness, based on the use of herbs, nutrition, conventional medicine and unconventional healing.

Ijewere is a product of St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, Lagos. His journey through tertiary education began at age 15, at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from George Washington University in 1986; followed by a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy (honours) from Howard University, in 1989.

He proceeded to medical college, at Howard University, where he graduated in 2003, with an MD degree (honours). He had specialty training in Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, finishing in 1996. He also obtained an Executive MBA at the University of South Florida, Tampa in 2003.

Ijewere had professional exposure in Florida for 15 years – as an internist, a hospitalist, emergency room (ER) physician, and a ringside sports physician for Florida State. He pioneered St Patrick Medical P.A., which had five clinics in Central Florida, amongst other clients, and served the Florida State Department of Health, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Upon return to Nigeria, he impacted healthcare in several ways. He was the pioneer medical director of Salus Trust, the Catholic Church’s HMO, with over 320 catholic hospitals and clinics nationwide, spread within 52 dioceses. He also met with providers nationwide to understand challenges with healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Ijewere has created awareness on staying healthy (wellness) and preventing illness by giving health talks on preventive health, proper use of medications, and nutrition. His impact has been felt in nearly all the states across the federation.

He has been featured on several TV and radio programmes to discuss wellness, agriculture, environment, and other issues. He currently hosts a weekly radio programme, “Wellness Half-Hour” on Inspiration FM, 92.3 FM, Sundays, at 1 pm.

Ijewere’s hobbies include dancing, reading, walking, tennis, travelling, and watching comedy. He is married to Mrs Sherese Ijewere, a Jamaican, who is a professional consultant in the field of nutrition, certified and clinically trained with 18 years plus experience and practices Medical Nutrition Therapies. She is a co-founder of Carib Health Centre.