Makueni mourns selfless doctor who perished in plane accident

Makueni Gender-Based Violence (GBV) section doctor in-charge Dr. Athman Lugogo [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]

A senior medical officer in Makueni county, who died in a plane crash in Taita Taveta on Monday, has been described as a man of the people and a professional who went out of his way to help his patients.  

Apart from his medical practice, the late Dr Athman Lugogo was also at the forefront in campaigning against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and protection of the rights of children.

Makueni residents, who initially did not think much about the plane crash, were shocked a day later when Dr Lugogo’s staff ID card was circulated on social media platforms with a caption that he was among the victims.

The light aircraft, Cessna C172 Caravan registration No 5Y CFE, slammed into a cliff in Vuria Hills in Wundanyi, as a result of poor visibility following to heavy fog, according to county police boss Patrick Okeri.

Those who knew Lugogo said he would wake up in the middle of the night to attend to patients.

He won the hearts of many when, in 2016, he continued offering services to patients even as his colleagues went on a strike to push for higher pay and better working conditions.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) posted a photo on Twitter with a caption: “Dr Lugogo operating on a patient in Makueni County. He didn’t stop saving lives despite missing salary for months.” 

In the same year, he also made news when he operated on 24-year-old Purity Muthoki following a brutal attack by her partner, who chopped her hands.

Without hands

When she learnt of his demise, Purity was besides herself with grief as she remembered the Makueni County Referral Hospital medic, who attended to her when she was rushed there following the incident.

She described the doctor as selfless and a great professional.

“For the three months I was at the hospital, it was Dr Lugogo who attended to me. My life was in his hands the entire time I was admitted. By the time I arrived at the hospital, I had lost a lot of blood. I would not be alive today were it not for his care,” Purity said.

She also recalls how Dr Lugogo advised her to go to YouTube to learn more about how to live without hands.

“The advice was very helpful to me. Thanks to the tutorials I received from YouTube as per Dr Lugogo’s advice, I can clean and cook, chores I could not do before,” said Purity.

On her part, Roselyn Nzembi remembered how the doctor left a lasting impression on her due to his compassion.

“The way he handled me when I arrived at the hospital left a last impression on me. He was very compassionate,” she said. 

Dr Lugogo was also an expert witness in several court cases. For instance, he was a witness in a case where Makueni-based lawyer Onesmus Masaku was fatally wounded by his police officer girlfriend in October last year.

“He was nice to all patients at the county hospital where he worked. He helped my brother when he was admitted there, no one like him,” Caroline Alex tweeted.

The late doctor’s father Ali Lugogo described his son as versatile.

The late Makueni Doctor Athman Lugogo who died in a plane crash at Maweni, Mombasa. [Courtesy]

“Other than being a medical doctor, my son could do many other things. He also had a passion for flying which started when he was a teenager,” said Ali.

Lugogo, who grew in Nyali, Mombasa County, attended Pioneer School. He later joined Voronezh State Medical University in Russia for his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree.

“He had promised to come home but when I called to find out if he was still coming, he said he was attending to an emergency at the hospital and would get back to me. That was before we learnt of the accident,” said Ali. “He had been training as a pilot. He had been under training for about two years.”

Vulnerable children

While in Russia, Dr Lugogo did many odd jobs and also attained many skills including hairdressing.

“He was like a brother to me. We always worked together helping patients get better,” said a colleague at Makueni county hospital Dr Gongo Mohammed.

He was also a biker and belonged to Eastern Bikers Association. It was through this association that he started campaigns against GBV.

Through the campaigns, Lugogo and his colleagues also raised money to support children’s homes.

“Initially, we engaged in biking purely for fun. We later started creating awareness on GBV and also raised funds to support vulnerable children. We had planned to visit Kathonzweni Children’s Home on June 6. We will still do it in honour of his memory,” said Dr Ambrose Munyao, a dentist at Gilgil sub-County hospital in Nakuru.

He was also a member of Linda Watoto, a community-based organisation in Makueni that advocates for the rights of children.

“Dr Lugogo was always at the forefront defending the rights of children and creating awareness. He also campaigned against GBV. His contribution to our efforts was immense,” said Winnie Mukosi, the CBO’s coordinator.

Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana termed Dr Lugogo as a dedicated and selfless professional.

Dr Lugogo was buried at Maweni Muslim Cemetery in Nyali on Wednesday.