Life’s unpredictable journey often leads us to moments that define our very existence. In 2018, a young doctor named Oriba Dan Langoya who had just been recruited to work at St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor, faced a moment that would forever change his life.
It was February, and Dr. Oriba had just completed his internship, stepping into his role as Medical Officer in the obstetrics and gynecology department. Little did he know, one evening would bring a test of his resolve and compassion.
A late referral arrived from Kitgum district, nearly 104 kilometers away. An expectant mother, her condition critical, was rushed to Lacor Hospital. She was brought on a boda boda, a motorcycle taxi whose ride only worsened her condition. The ailing woman was dropped at the hospital’s gate without any attendant and rushed to the maternity unit.
Our medical team could not detect the baby’s heartbeat, prompting an urgent ultrasound scan. This woman had a low blood level and her samples were taken to the lab for cross-matching before transfusion. Tragically, during the scan, the mother passed away. It was horrible and the room fell silent; the weight of the loss was heavy in the air.
Dr. Oriba, driven by a glimmer of hope, took the deceased mother to a quiet room. He listened intently to her abdomen with a stethoscope, searching for any sign of life. To his astonishment, he detected a faint heartbeat. With the permission of Dr. Odong Emintone Ayella, the Medical Director, he made the courageous decision to perform a perimortem cesarean section.
“I knew I had to act quickly,” Dr. Oriba recalls. “There was a chance, however slim, to save the baby. Mr. Odong told me that if I am very sure then we should do it.”
With steady hands and a heart full of determination, Dr. Oriba made an incision and delivered the baby. The newborn was almost lifeless, but Dr. Oriba refused to give up. After several rounds of resuscitation, a miracle happened—the baby took its first breath and was placed on oxygen.
“This was a very big relief. I can’t explain how much [emotion] I was filled with to extract life out of someone who has already passed on,” says Dr. Oriba with a tearful eye. “As a doctor, I was really filled with happiness. I was filled with joy knowing that the little things that we do in a timely manner could actually save lives.”
Weeks passed, and the baby, with no one to breastfeed and look after him, grew stronger in the hospital nursery. Baby Watoto, a charity organization where Dr. Oriba was also volunteering at the time, took him in, ensuring he had a loving home.
Dr. Oriba continued to visit the boy, forming a bond that transcended the initial act of saving his life.
By this time, Watoto Baby’s Home had named the baby Oriba Daniel Gabriel after the doctor who saved him and the messenger angel from God. “This humbles me a lot every time I see him. He calls me daddy,” Dr. Oriba says with a joyful demeanor.
Because of the complications at birth, baby Daniel had a couple of challenges and it was feared that he’d neither walk nor talk. But Dr. Oriba had come too far to look back. He got him a physiotherapist and together with the care of the mothers at Watoto’s Baby Home, Daniel achieved these milestones.
His wife Christine was incredibly supportive. They were childless at the time, but she saw how much this boy meant to Dr. Oriba.
“I look at him as a first-born son because I didn’t have a child when he came into my life and we’re very grateful for his presence in our lives,” a cheerful Oriba tells. Unlike with many young couples, his encounter with little Daniel only helped to strengthen his relationship with Christine.
Dr. Oriba and Christine
Dr. Oriba’s journey with Christine began years earlier, at a high school youth conference. He was going for his A’ level, and she was in S.2. After a brief chat, they went their separate ways, but fate had other plans.
During the holidays, back in their village in Kitgum, Dr. Oriba was surprised to see Christine at church. He ran after her, eager to confirm if she really came from the same village as him. And by the end of the latter rain in December, they were deeply in love.
When Dr. Oriba faced the life-changing situation of delivering a baby from a deceased mother, Christine was finishing her Diploma in Pharmacy at Gulu University. She stood by his side, welcoming the baby as her own, despite their childless state at the time.
But God has a way of giving back to those who serve his cause. Months later, Christine discovered she was pregnant, and the joy of giving little Daniel a sibling was immense.
“Oriba is a Godfearing man, kind, caring husband and father who loves children immeasurably,” Christine says with a smile. “His dedication to our family and his patients is truly inspiring.”
Christine and Daniel
When Daniel turned four, Dr. Oriba and Christine made a life-changing decision—they activated his adoption policy to have him as their own. Although the process is not yet complete, Christine and Dr. Oriba’s family has grown, and today, they have four children, including Daniel who is now seven years old.
Reflecting on their journey, Christine says, “Meeting Dr. Oriba in high school was the start of a beautiful love story. Our love has only grown stronger over the years, and taking Daniel as one of our own was a blessing we never expected.”
For Christine, Daniel is a loving, listening, polite and calm child. Her other children know him as their elder brother. They plan to disclose everything when the children are much older and can understand life’s complexities.
The story of Dr. Oriba Dan Langoya is one of hope, resilience, and the extraordinary power of love. In the face of tragedy, he found a way to bring life and joy, forever changing the lives of those around him.
Set up to look after the most vulnerable in our society, Lacor Hospital has produced medics deeply attached to their patients, following in the footsteps of pioneers like Drs. Piero Corti, Lucille Teasdale, and Matthew Lukwiya. Their legacy of selflessness and dedication continues to inspire current staff members, including Dr. Oriba Dan Langoya.
At Lacor, every patient is treated with dignity and care, reflecting the hospital’s unwavering mission to serve the most vulnerable. This ethos of compassion and excellence has not only saved countless lives but also created a community where love and humanity thrive.
The Oribas in the comfort of their living room
