Dr Felix: the doctor who served with passion
Dr Felix Loro Lado Laki, affectionately called Yaya by friends and family, had touched many peoples’ hearts in his life – a life cut short by cancer.
His colleague Juliana shared a story on Facebook which showed how dedicated he was about his work. As a senior staff member in a primary health care programme, Dr Felix was visiting a health facility on routine supervision and was shocked at the state the maternity and delivery room – “An unfinished building, gaping holes where windows and doors were supposed to be so no privacy -there was literally a path leading to the village in the 'window' next to the maternity bed - and worse of all, a pungent smell of bat urine emanating from the roof.” His stern rebuke of the organization running the facility that “I would even not let my goat birth in this room” was so strong and forceful that they had no choice but to close the room and start renovation immediately. That was how passionately he took his responsibilities. He left many colleagues with similar memories of his work.
Following his graduation from the College of Medicine, University of Juba in 1994, Dr Felix worked in several hospitals and posts in Sudan, as medical director for Wadi Saidna Hospital in Khartoum and Wad Habuba Rural Hospital in El Gezira.
In the early 2000s, Dr Felix moved to South Sudan and worked for the organization American Refugee Committee (ARC) International, in Kajo Keji and Magwi Counties, where he held the position of Clinical Trainer and Acting Primary Health Care Co-coordinator. He also worked for CARE International Somalia / South Sudan Programme in North Bor County, South Sudan holding the position of Primary Health Care Project Manager.
He developed his passion as a skilled public health specialist whilst working as a health advisor for Jones Snow, Inc (JSI) from 2007 to 2009, and Management Sciences for Health (MSH) from 2009 to 2012. His dedicated interest in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) as a field of choice gave him the opportunity to serve as the M&E Director for the Integrated Service Delivery Project (ISDP) with Jhpiego from 2012 to 2016. I worked with him and shared an office during these two periods. His work ethic was phenomenal. He stayed late at work and came earlier than anyone the next day.
Dr Felix Loro was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lypmphoma in 2014, which claimed his life on Saturday 12 January 2019 in Kampala, Uganda. Dr Felix was married to Mrs Maria Ejok Kanisio from Hiyala, Torit State. They were blessed with two children – a son and a daughter.
His passion for his country had inspired individuals, for whom he served as a mentor and role model. He will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, Dr Yaya.
