Eye Radio Author: Charles Wote
Dr Emmanuel Taban offers pulmonology care to critically ill coronavirus patients and pro bono primary healthcare in rural South Africa. Courtesy
Dr. Emmanuel Taban is a South Sudanese born pulmonologist leading a groundbreaking discovery for the treatment of Covid-19 patients and saving their lives, thousands of miles away from home.
Born 1979 in Loka village of Lainya County – Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Taban was among the five children raised by a single mother in the then Sudan.
At 14, Taban was detained in a ghost-white house in Juba by the Sudan Army Forces – SAF – for being a rebel-spy.
He was incarcerated, tortured for six weeks, and later sent off to Khartoum where he was forced to convert to Islam.
After his father was killed in the Civil War, the young Taban fled to Eritrea at the age of 16 and live there as a street boy for two years.
He then decided to travel to his uncle in Nairobi, Kenya, but he wasn’t welcomed – so, inspired by the “made in South Africa” printing on a cola can, he traveled for another 3,000km through East Africa on his own and eventually into South Africa.
Taban completed his secondary education with the help of charity groups, including Mercy House, and went on to study medicine at Medunsa University.
While in South Africa, Taban spent his first six years studying medicine, another four years as a specialized physician, and finally spent the other two years to become a specialized pulmonologist or lung specialist.
Today, Taban holds three medical degrees and recently became qualified to offer expert pulmonology care at Mediclinic Highveld – a rare and valuable service in rural Mpumalanga – South Africa – as well as Mediclinic Midstream.
Dr. Taban offers world-class pulmonology care as well as pro-bono primary healthcare to patients in Johannesburg.
He is married with three children to a South African woman
Carte Blanche celebrates the life of epic grit and imagination – of a young refugee who became a leading pulmonologist who is saving the lives of critically-ill COVID-19 ventilator patients with his novel use of therapeutic bronchoscopies.
Dr. Taban argues that despite reading European literature, that it is not enough, he does his own research to treat coronavirus patients there.
He is now appealing to South Sudanese to adhere to the coronavirus basic preventive principles such as wearing a face mask, hands washing using sanitizer or soap, and keeping social distance.
Speaking to Charles Wote of Eye Radio on Thursday from South Africa, the 43 years old pulmonologist disclosed that he has so far treated over 200 critically ill coronavirus patients with about 14 scams to the virus in South Africa.
The inspirational life of Dr Emmanuel Taban
AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER
A Sudanese man who fled wars and walked over 6000 km to South Africa where he has become a leading pulmonologist has become a social media sensation.
Dr Emmanuel Taban has also become a poster boy on how refugees can contribute positively to countries across Africa.
Taban’s extraordinary was featured in special TV programme Carte Blanche in South Africa and he is now being celebrated across social media.
Taban was born in a tiny village in South Sudan and he and four siblings were raised by a single mother. At the age of 14, he was arrested by the Sudanese military for being a rebel-spy. He was detained, tortured at the “White House”, a notorious prison. He was then sent off to the capital city, Khartoum.
Taban fled to neighbouring Eritrea, where he was again imprisoned. Upon his release, he walked nearly 3000km to an uncle in Nairobi, Kenya, but he was rejected. He continued in his journey for a home and greener pastures. He travelled another 3000 km through East Africa on his own and eventually into South Africa.
In South Africa, he studied at the Medical University of South Africa
In the Carte Blanche segment, Taban was featured for his groundbreaking procedure – therapeutic bronchoscopy – that he uses to save the lives of critically-ill COVID-19 patients on ventilators.
This should surely be trending…@efie41209591 i will retweet this until the world knows that we have heroes like Dr Emmanuel Taban in Africa. @daddyhope https://t.co/sqOmz0zax5
— UncleT (@GurundoroClive) January 4, 2021
Dr Emmanuel Taban a South African Sudanese lung specicialist who can cure critically ill covid-19 patients by removing mucus from their lungs. Why is Cyril not saying anything about him? pic.twitter.com/PENiyaG3bk
— MOTHOMBENI BILLY (@MBillyzaba) January 4, 2021
Dr Emmanuel Taban a South African Sudanese lung specicialist who can cure critically ill covid-19 patients by removing mucus from their lungs. Why haven't we invested in this man’s research while we await the vaccine? https://t.co/qrvJy7GVHM
— Tsêpo Khomari (@Tsepo__Khomari) January 4, 2021
— Charles Mhandu (@mhandu_charles) January 3, 2021
The inspirational life of Dr Emmanuel Taban – The African Mirror