"One UWI, One Alumni Family" 

The UWI joins the medical fraternity, Jamaica and the wider Caribbean in celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of Professor Emeritus Hugh Wynter, a towering figure in medicine, a pioneer in Caribbean family planning, and an exemplar of service to humanity.

Born on February 5, 1933, in Spanish Town, Jamaica, Professor Wynter was destined for greatness, following the trail blazed by his father—one of Jamaica’s earliest doctors. Educated at Wolmer’s Boys School, he pursued the sciences with a singular focus: to become a doctor, and to serve. He completed his medical degree in 1958 at the University College of the West Indies (UCWI), Mona, now The UWII, where his impact would resonate for generations to come.

Specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, Professor Wynter refined his expertise at the University College Hospital of the West Indies and later at Hammersmith Hospital in London. Returning to Jamaica in 1965, he began what would become a distinguished 40-year career marked by innovation, dedication, and transformation. He was appointed Professor in 1974 and served with distinction as Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at UWI, Mona, for 11 years.

Professor Wynter was not just a medical professional; he was a visionary. In 1979, he founded the Advanced Training and Research in Fertility Management Programme at UWI, which he led for an impressive 24 years. Under his leadership, more than 4,000 doctors, nurses, educators, and social workers were trained in reproductive healthcare. He also coordinated distance learning with fertility experts from Johns Hopkins University, ensuring that Jamaican healthcare professionals benefited from global expertise.

An internationally recognised expert in female fertility management, Professor Wynter’s name became synonymous with Caribbean family planning. His pioneering research and practical interventions led to significant reductions in Jamaica’s infant death rate and population growth, milestones that improved national health outcomes and changed countless lives. His excellence was honoured globally, notably with the 1998 United Nations Population Award.

His research on birth defects, diseases in newborns, and the effects of pregnancy and surgery on women enriched medical understanding, and his scholarly contributions—spanning seven books—reflect his depth of knowledge and commitment to advancing the field.

But beyond his accolades, Hugh Wynter was deeply warm, caring, and spirited. His patients, students, and colleagues remember him not just for his brilliance, but for his empathy, humour, and humanity. His belief that “the root of happiness grows deepest in the soil of service” was not just a philosophy—it was the very essence of his life’s work

Even in retirement from the Fertility Management Unit in 2006, he remained a beacon of wisdom, service, and dedication, meriting the title of Professor Emeritus. His legacy lives on—not only through the programmes he built, the policies he shaped, or the recognitions he earned, but in the healthier futures of generations of Jamaicans and Caribbean peoples.

Professor Hugh Wynter was, without question, a giant of medicine, an icon of the Caribbean, and a beloved son of Jamaica. His life’s work continues to echo in every mother, child, and family whose lives have been made better by his commitment to care, education, and empowerment. We salute him, we honour him, and we thank him.