Living just down the road from Lwala Community Hospital, Peter Agit, Clinical Officer, has his finger on the pulse of the village. On his short morning walk to the hospital—where he’s worked for nearly a decade—it’s not uncommon for Peter to see children he once cared for as newborns making their way to school. He remembers their birth stories. “I’ll see a thriving third grader, and recall their mother’s prolonged labor, and how we made the referral for a C-section,” he says. “It’s rewarding to know I played a part in this success.”
Peter is one of five siblings and grew up with few resources. “It made me a better person,” he says. “I’m not glorifying difficulty, but the hard place we were in was an opportunity to learn many skills. I learned how to make things with my hands and sell them.” His father, a carpenter, taught him how to build tables, and by third grade, Peter’s head teacher asked him to create the school’s first suggestion box—recognizing not only his craftsmanship but his desire to improve his school. As he got older, Peter’s academic dedication stood out, and he received financial support to pursue a diploma in clinical medicine and surgery.
In 2016, while working as a clinical officer nearby, Peter met a patient who spoke highly of the care they received at Lwala Community Hospital. He was immediately drawn to Lwala's emphasis on community leadership. “I like it when people come together for a cause. Lwala's mission saves lives. We do this by ensuring every community member has quality health care and bringing health services door to door.” Since joining, he’s seen how this approach breaks down the barriers that often keep people from care—transportation, finances, stigma, gender expectations, and distrust of formal health systems.
As a Clinical Officer, Peter has a similar workload to that of a physician’s assistant. Each day, he reviews patient queues and directs them to the right level of care—managing some cases himself, elevating others to medical officers, and referring complex cases to other facilities—ensuring patients receive timely, appropriate treatment. “With Peter on the team, we’re not only maintaining high standards of care, we’re building a culture of mentorship, calm leadership, and consistency,” says his supervisor, Karen Lisa Boyi.
Peter also plays a vital role in customer service at the hospital, managing feedback from suggestion boxes throughout the hospital campus—a full-circle moment from the box he built as a child. Patient concerns and satisfaction are evaluated, disseminated to staff, and turned into real improvements. Peter views this feedback loop as critical to the ongoing success of the hospital. “It helps us measure success, build trust, and meet expectations,” he says.
In his role at Lwala, Peter has seen a rise in mental health concerns, and he wants to be a part of the solution. Now, he’s set his sights on earning a degree in psychology and a master’s in specialty psychology, so he can strengthen mental health care at Lwala.
“There’s power when we join our hands together,” Peter says. “There are resources that I have, and resources that you have—but the resources are only effective when we join hands.”
“Peter is someone who listens more than he speaks, but when he does speak, people pay attention. His composure under pressure and deep care for patients really sets him apart.”
- Karen Lisa Boyi, Clinical Officer In-Charge, Lwala Community Alliance
