Obituary: Dr Abdu Mohammed Abdudrbo Gilo
Dr Abdu Mohammed Abdudrbo Gilo was born in 1983 to Mohammed Abdudrbo Gilo and Gian Nyort Mormoti in Pochalla, within the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), South Sudan.
He began his early education in 1993 at White Nile Primary School. He later attended Abu Said Secondary School in Sudan and completed his secondary education at Supiri Secondary School in Juba, South Sudan, between 2000 and 2005. Driven by a deep desire to serve his community through medicine, Dr Abdu pursued medical studies at Upper Nile University’s College of Medicine (2006–2011) and completed his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MB,BS) degree at Bahri University in Khartoum, Sudan, in 2015.
Throughout his career, Dr Abdu served in several key healthcare roles. He worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Belgium from 2018 to 2020, and with JAM International from 2012 to 2022. His leadership qualities earned him appointments as County Health Department Head in GPAA (2022–2023) and later as Director General of the State Ministry of Health (2022–2023).
Dr Abdu was known for his exceptional work ethic, strong sense of duty, and genuine compassion for those he served. He built positive relationships with people of all ages and backgrounds, often acting as a bridge between communities. Colleagues admired his humility, collaborative spirit, and willingness to listen. He believed in teamwork and inspired others through his calm demeanor, patience, and optimism even in challenging circumstances.
Beyond medicine, he was passionate about sports — especially football — and was a talented player himself. He also enjoyed reading and was always ready to offer help to those in need.
Dr Abdu passed away on 2 April 2025. He is survived by his beloved wife and two children. He will be deeply missed.
