Jibi MosesSeptember 16, 2025
A claim widely circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp that Angelo Taban, a South Sudanese, is stranded in Uganda’s Butabika Hospital is false.
The claim, which was published by Junub Eye (archived) and Yetunde Media (archived) and shared several times on closed social media like WhatsApp, garnered 319 reactions. 192 comments and 48 shares altogether.
“We found the abovementioned individual at BUTABIKA MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL in Kampala.That he came from Juba with his Ugandan friend and after they reached here, his Ugandan friend ran away with his money and other items he had and he is left with nothing in the street,” partly reads the message allegedly from students of CLARKE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY and the CLARKE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY SOUTH SUDAN/ SUDANESE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
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Debunking the Claim:
This publication received reliable information from the family of the patient via messaging app, WhatsApp, and clarifying that Angelo Taban was taken to Uganda by the family for medication at Butabika National Referral Hospital.
“Please, that guy is Angelo Taban, the relatives know why Angelo Taban is there, he has been ill and the family decided to take him to that place for mental rehabilitation and fully paid,” a representative of the family said.
The family further stated that they are in contact with the group of students sharing the distorted message.
“There is no harm. He was trying to cook up a story to gain some sympathy. The students didn’t find him on the street either. He is within the hospital premises where he is undergoing mental rehabilitation. I’m in contact with those students as well,” the family said.
One of the commenters posted a medical form (archived link) with some of the details, showing the patient is suffering from psychosis. Psychosis is not a mental health diagnosis itself but rather a set of symptoms where a person loses some contact with reality. During a psychotic episode, a person’s thoughts and perceptions are disrupted, and they may have difficulty distinguishing what is real from what is not.
Butabika Hospital, officially known as Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, is a public psychiatric hospital located in Kampala, Uganda. Established in 1955, it is the sole national referral hospital for mental health in the country.
Our Verdict
The Clarity Desk finds the claim making rounds on Facebook and WhatsApp that Angelo Taban is stranded in Butabika Hospital, Kampala, to be false. According to his family, Angelo Taban was taken to Butabika Hospital for treatment.
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The ClarityDesk
